Edge of the storm
by ab89us
Summary: Two things about Olivia Dunham that never change. She hates lying to the ones to loves and she hates sharing space with a stranger but has to do that when after being shot she is declared dead and has to share a house with Seeley Booth another dead agent
1. O

Don't own the show(s) or the characters though that would be pretty darn sweet!

This was co-authored with the amazing Oranfly. Every odd numbered chapter is hers while every even numbered is mine.

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Olivia woke to the steady sound of beeping. At first she was convinced it was her alarm, but upon further listening knew the sound to be that of a standard heart monitor used in hospitals. Panic began to swiftly envelope her as she batted her eyes open and looked around the room she was now in. It was dark mostly, with a dim light coming from the curtain that covered the entry to her room. The beeping raced faster as Olivia tried to sit up but couldn't because of the pain radiating through her entire torso. Shadows played across the curtain making Olivia panic, but just before she could wrestle her way out of the bed and remove the IVs her boss walked in with a serious but relieved face.

"Congratulations Agent Dunham, you're dead." His voice deadpanned.

**One Week Earlier**

"We can't take you _anywhere!_"

Olivia sighed dramatically as Peter ranted on for the fourth day running. So a few people had tried to kill her in both direct and round about ways. Of course hearing her sigh only served to make Peter turn an almost violent shade of red in frustration. They'd just narrowly avoided another attempt on her life and it was enough that she was feeling a bit on edge about it, but Peter just wouldn't let it go. So now they were back at the lab, him still upset and Walter watching them with fearful curiosity.

"Why don't you take your safety seriously? In a matter of one week, you've been chased down by an elderly lady with a butcher knife, almost run down by 13-year old driving his mom's minivan, snipered by an ex-military man from Vietnam, and jumped by a homeless man who tried to strangle you. Can you at least admit that someone has it out for you?" Peter said, without taking a breath until the end of his long rant.

Olivia just gave him a tired look and fought to not roll her eyes. "'Snipered'? Really?" Olivia continued after he only crossed his arms and let that look of fearful affection fill his eyes; the one that drove her heart to race. "I think I can safely say that I may be a target of whatever sinister act we're trying to solve now, but does that really help us?"

Peter ground his teeth together and glared at her. "Well, maybe you could take a few steps to protect yourself and those around you who might get in the way. For starters you could stay here at the lab and let those extra agents Broyles wants to guard you _actually_ guard you."

"Then maybe it should be you and Walter who stay back at the lab so you can stay nice and safe. I'll even leave you the extra agents," Olivia growled out and left the lab, leaving a stammering and steaming Peter and a worried looking Walter behind.

The next day Olivia found herself grudgingly calling Peter while on the way to the lab.

"What?" He answered angrily. _Great, _Olivia thought, _this is going to be a great day._

"If we bring the other agents would you and Walter come out to another crime scene to collect evidence?" Olivia tried not to grumble. There was silence on the other end and Olivia was beginning to think he had hung up on her when he finally spoke up.

"Fine." And then she heard the click of his phone hanging up. Sighing, Olivia finished the trip to the lab to see Walter and Peter already waiting for her. Peter climbed into the passenger seat while Walter climbed into the back and they continued their ride to the crime scene with Walter's babbling from the backseat as the only thing breaking the car's thick silence.

Upon arrival they worked their way around the ground floor of an apartment complex that had three floors and it seemed each room held some macabre scene with several innocent people dead on each level. After a few minutes spent on the ground floor Walter moved to the stairs and started up them. Peter and Olivia exchanged glances and she nodded and waved another agent to follow her and Walter up the stairs. Walter passed the second floor and went straight for the third and top level.

Olivia and the other agent stepped in before Walter to scan the apartment and make sure it was safe. When every room had been cleared, Olivia went back to the entrance to wave Walter in. Upon looking around, Olivia found three bodies in this unit. Frowning and trying to stifle the hopelessness she felt beginning to overwhelm her, Olivia stepped over the body of a young boy who looked to be maybe ten and clearly dead and moved to the opposite side of the room as Walter while the other agent went further in. She was looking at a picture frame hung on the wall when she heard the click of a safety being released and she jerked her head toward the sound.

In the doorway stood the extra agent with his gun pointed at Walter who was now slowly getting to his feet from a crouching position.

"Agent Marco, think about what you're doing. You don't want to shoot that gun…" Olivia said calmly, creeping toward Walter as she maintained eye contact with the agent who was giving the scientist wild eyes. The agent shook his head and Olivia watched in horror as he began to pull the trigger. Without thinking twice, Olivia dove in front of Walter and felt one bullet, then the second bite into her as she hit the ground.

At first she didn't really feel pain, just the twinge, and she watched as the agent moved the gun into his mouth and fired it out the back of his head so that he slumped to the ground. A defining roar filled Olivia's ears as she realized she was fighting for consciousness. Blinking fast, she stared up at Walter's face and watched his lips move without sound. _Why couldn't she hear anything? _Olivia thought and the confusion must've shown on her face. Then she saw Peter over her and she almost cried out in relief. Her Peter was here and he wouldn't let anything happen to her. She was going to be okay now. He looked so sad though. She brought her hand painstakingly up and cupped his face, sounding out his name slowly as if it were a question. "Pe… ter?" Darkness slowly enveloped her vision and the last thing she saw was Peter calling her name.

**Present Day**

"_What?_" Olivia asked in extreme disbelief.

"It has become necessary for us to fake your death so that we can keep you and therefore, your team, safe." Broyles said and Olivia could almost hear a hint of sadness in his voice.


	2. A

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His hands trembled on the rim of the toilet while he emptied the contents of his stomach in it. His stomach had been painfully clenching for what felt like hours and had yet to give up and let his weak and shaky body rest. Falling to the floor, he pushed his back up against the wall and stared at his hands that were still covered in her blood from where he had tried to stifle the heavy flow that pulsed under his fingers, his shirt in the same state with a large patch of crimson adorning his chest where he had held her to him tightly after she had paled and stopped moving, the whole time waiting for the paramedics to show up. They had eventually shown up and found her pulse to be extremely weak and thread as they literally pulled her out of his vice-like grip. He had been afraid that if he let her go that it would be the last time he saw her alive, a fear that had been justified by the solemn looking agents that were down stairs trying to consol his father whose sobs could be heard through the floor of the bathroom making his own heart twist for the millionth time and ripping a sob from the depths of his chest out his lips, hot, angry tears streaming down his cheeks for the loss of the only woman he had truly loved.

He pushed off the floor, feeling the caked on blood crack under his weight reminding him that it was still there and needed to be washed, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't wash away the last trace of her life that he had. But he also knew that it couldn't stay there forever, so turning the water on he stuck his hands under it, looking away with tear filled eyes while he scrubbed the sticky substance off. Once he was sure all the blood was gone, he turned the tap off and dried his hands, peeling his shirt off and folding it neatly. If he couldn't keep the blood on his hands, he would keep the shirt that was saturated in the same substance as a reminder that she had been alive.

"Peter?" He could hear Astrid's voice through the door. He looked over to the door and gave an unintelligent grunt that was apparently just loud enough for her to hear since the door slowly creaked open to reveal the young agent. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her cheeks were streaked with mascara but she didn't seem to care about her appearance as she made her way over to him and laid a comforting hand on his arm.

"It should have been me." He gasped out, his stomach twisting again. "I should have been the one to jump in front of Walter, I should have been the one shot and now she's dead. Because I wasn't the one to protect him, she's dead."

"Peter…"

"I loved her." He cut her off. "I loved her and now she's gone."

"Oh Peter." Astrid softly cried, a new batch of tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I couldn't save her. I tried, and I failed."

"You didn't fail Peter; you couldn't save her no one could. She knew what was going to happen when she blocked Walter from the bullets. It was her choice." Astrid sadly replied.

"It doesn't make it any better." He sighed, pushing past her and out to the hall, sinking down onto the carpeted floor not trusting his stomach enough to go any further from the bathroom.

"I know." She nodded sitting beside him.

"Why did this happen?" He asked out loud not expecting a response and thankfully not getting one back.

They sat in silence for what must have been hours, the noises down stairs were dying off, the door opening and closing as they left, and Walter's sobs turning into load snores. Eventually it was just the two of them and the older man left in the house, all of the other agents having left the grieving family alone. Soon after all the noise died down, Astrid stood back up and offered Peter help up.

"I'm going to stay here tonight in case either you or Walter needs me." Astrid said, wiping her eyes and cheeks. "You should try and get some sleep."

"Okay." He smiled weakly at her concern and thoughtfulness. He then watched her make her way down the stairs before slouching off to his room and throwing the covers back on his bed, sitting on the edge but highly doubting that sleep would blessedly take him away from the pain even for a moment.

He placed his ruined shirt in a drawer beside him and laid back; pulling the blanket over him and closing his eyes hoping that when he woke up this would all just be a really bad dream.


	3. O2

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"It has become necessary for us to fake your death so that we can keep you and therefore, your team, safe." Broyles said and Olivia could almost hear a hint of sadness in his voice.

"But-"

"I'm sorry Dunham, but we're going to be relocating you into a safe house so you can be protected." Broyles said taking the seat beside her bed.

"But what about Peter, Walter, and Astrid?" Olivia asked, trying to calm her racing heart.

"They'll be safe in their ignorance of knowing you're alive."

"They think I'm _dead?_" Olivia interrupted.

"It's for their own safety. Your funeral was held yesterday and you'll be moved to your new residence in three days time and one of undercover specialist will be stopping by before you leave here to give you your new look. Unfortunately we can't move you completely out of the city, but we can't risk anyone recognizing you either." Broyles explained.

Olivia fell back from her partial sitting position back into the bed and let out a defeated sigh. "This isn't permanent though, right?"

"No, once this case is solved and over you can return to before all this happened." Broyles assured her.

Olivia nodded, her body and mind having gone numb. Her first thought was of Rachel and Ella. Her sister would be devastated after the scares she's already given her and Ella was still too young to understand someone dying. And then there was Peter.

A vision of him kneeling over her as her vision blurred. Seeing his eyes tear up and the press of his hands over her wounds. He had tried desperately to save her and he probably had with his quick thinking until the paramedics had arrived.

"You have to at least let Peter know I'm alive. He was there when I was shot and-"

"I don't think so, Olivia." Broyles interrupted.

"But-"

"It's for his own safety."

Olivia looked absolutely miserable at the idea of keeping this from the man who had been her partner for the last year and some months. They'd always had each other's backs and now she felt like she was betraying him in this.

"Who will work the case? Surely whoever takes it over will also be in danger." Olivia pointed out.

"That's why you're going to continue it from the sidelines and I've got someone in mind to continue in your place but he will be coming from a more subtle angle then we had you coming at."

"Who?" Olivia asked, genuinely curious.

"It's better you don't know." Broyles said as he got up from his seat. "Now you focus on getting better so this case can be solved and you can go back your old life."

Olivia nodded already feeling impatient to be healed and out of the bed but resigned to staying put for the time being.

**Three days later**

Olivia glared at her reflection in the hospital bathroom mirror as she finished getting street clothes on that had been brought for her. The undercover artist had come and gone, leaving a medium brunette with dark blonde highlights and side swept long bangs. Her hair had been cut to just past her shoulders and contained many layers. They'd even given her color contacts that made her eyes bright blue. She'd even grudgingly let them put make up on her to make her look more different than she normally would have. The clothes they had given her at least were of some comfort. Ratty jeans, semi-stylish blue top, and beaded sandals. Broyles had left her a watch complete with tracking, gps, and communications and she carefully did the clasp of it on her left wrist.

After one last look, Olivia left her room and without even a glance at the agent dressed in street clothes that was outside her door she led the way to the car awaiting her outside the discharge doors.

The car trip was uneventful as Olivia stared out the windows, watching where they were going so she new how to get to her new place. After a fifteen minute drive they pulled up to a maroon two story house that looked like it was built in the early 1900's with a classic Victorian look complete with bright white trim and flower boxes in the windows. It fit in well with the neighborhood of similar houses; all of them different colors. Her heart lurched as she thought of what Peter would say about the neighborhood and its history. It looked much like his old house that he had grown up in. Olivia swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Thinking of Peter wasn't going to help her right now.

Olivia straightened her shoulders and marched her way up the entrance stairs; the agent following close behind. The door opened before her hand ever came close to the handle to reveal another agent dressed in street clothes. His hair was either a very dark brown or a black – it was hard to tell from the change of lighting from outside to inside. He was taller with chocolate brown eyes and the look on his face was that of a mask devoid of any emotion at all. Olivia knew that look from being in the marines. It was one of pain and suffering tempered by the need to appear strong and capable. He gave her a once over not from a man's perspective, but from that of a well trained agent sizing up another agent. Standing to the side, he let her pass him and into the house, leaving the other agent outside as the man closed the door behind her.

"You must be agent Olivia Dunham." His voice was deep and held little inflection.

"Yes, but I'm afraid I have no idea who you are," Olivia said, sparing him a side glance as she looked around the moderately furnished living room.

"I'm agent Seeley Booth, out of the Washington D.C. branch. It seems we've both been placed here out of harms way to solve a common case," Booth took a seat on the long couch, for all the world looking relaxed, but his posture was slightly stiffened and the mask hadn't budged. All this, Olivia could read, but she said nothing because she was sure she looked the same.

Olivia wandered around the house, taking stock of her new surroundings. Once in the kitchen she noticed a rather large stack of folders on the kitchen island.

"Case files; from both of our sides." Booth said from a few feet behind her. "I don't know about you, but I've always been more of a field agent. This 'hiding away' and watching from the side lines rubs me the wrong way."

"I'm not exactly thrilled with playing dead either, but it was the hand we were dealt and in order to end this we need to put our minds together and figure this out." Olivia said, rather proud that she was keeping her emotions in check when all she wanted to do was rant on about how unfair it was that she was stuck here with another agent to solve a case and her team and family were just twenty minutes away convinced she was dead and moving on with their lives.

Booth glared at her for a moment before softening up. A hint of his inner turmoil spilled out onto his face and Olivia felt sorry for this man in this instant. Maybe he'd had a wife and kids he'd left behind for the time being. His situation could've been so much worse than hers.

"I'm sorry. I know you're right – really." Booth sighed and ran a hand through his short hair. "I have a son and my partner – well… we were close."

Olivia nodded in understanding and looked away from him.

"What about you?" Booth asked.

Olivia looked up at him to gauge his sincerity and after a moments hesitation she knew she could trust this man. "The only family I have left is my sister and niece, but there's also my partner." Olivia wasn't sure how to continue. Did she tell this man about Peter? What was there to tell? They were partners and friends. She was about to stumble through some vague explanation when she caught the look on his face; one of understanding. Maybe she wasn't the only foolish FBI agent to have fallen for their partner.


	4. A2

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Booth allowed the hot water to lap around his body as he sank down into the full tub, letting out a contented noise once the hot water hit the healing scar on his left pectoral muscle, soothing the dull ache from the bullet's ruthless path through his now marred skin. He sank deeper into the water until it rested just below his ears, warming his body and allowing him to listen to the noises of the other agent as she slowly made her way around the house, sporting her own bullet wounds, one on her abdomen and the other on her arm dangerously close to her brachial artery. Not for the first time since meeting her, he thought about the fact that she easily could have died, in fact he was really surprised that she hadn't. His gunshot wound, though serious was nothing like hers yet he could have died and the fact that they were both now pretending to have died made him shudder. And then the thought that never seemed to leave him alone entered his mind. Their families didn't know they were alive. They were literally dead to their families, fading into memories as the days passed. He knew that it wouldn't be for long, but he couldn't stop thinking about what his son was going through, what Rebecca, bones and all of the squints were going through. What would they do when they found out that he was really alive? The first time was hard enough after Pam Nunan shot him which had left his son confused, his ex pissed off and bones. Gosh bones was the worse. She had refused to talk to him for so long and had avoided him to the point of driving him insane and it was all because the stupid, little psychologist had wanted to test them. Because of Sweets, she had been left in the dark when she wasn't supposed to be, leaving her possibly the most damaged from his first faked death that this time around he had literally begged Cullen to tell her that he was alive only for the other man to shoot down his pleads and concerns. He was scared for his partner's mental health and how she would take yet another faked death.

Pushing all that to the back of his mind, he focused on the sounds that Olivia was making down stairs and could hear her struggling with something. One thing he had quickly learned about her was that she didn't take anyone's help easily and was bound and determined to do everything on her own. That everything went from changing her own bandages which he could completely understand, to stretching her body out as far as it would go in order to reach something that he could have easily of gotten for her instead. It hadn't surprised him at all that she had pulled stitches just after a few days of being in the safe house causing him to call one of the doctors that had been assigned to them while they recovered. They had patched her up and then to his protests, she had gone back to doing exactly the same as she was before.

Thinking about all of the possible things she could be doing, he climbed out of the tub and dried off before throwing on a pair of sweet pants and a singlet. He really didn't feel like calling in another doctor or having the job of having to help clean up her wound which had left them both crimson from embarrassment. So making his way down the stairs, he checked out everything that could potentially harm her, making sure that everything was where it had been before his bath, and scanning to see if he could catch a glimpse of her brown hair. Eventually he caught sight of her sitting at the kitchen table scribbling down answers in one of the cross word puzzles that she seemed to thoroughly enjoy. He never had the patience to do those since most of his patience went to dealing with bones. Though he loved her dearly, there were still those moments when he felt like pushing her out of the SUV or locking her in a sound proof room and walking away with the key. And much to his chagrin, he found that Olivia was almost just as grating on his nerves and patience. But he also knew that this was her first experience among the 'dead' and that she was just trying to adjust.

"How long have you been in the FBI?" He asked to break the silence and knowing that that question was more likely to get him a response than if he had asked her, her favorite flavor of ice cream.

"A few years." She said, putting down her puzzle. "I was in the marine corps first as a special investigator."

"I was in the rangers for a while before becoming an FBI agent." Booth explained, going to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of juice.

She wanted to ask him what he had done in the rangers but decided against it when she saw the hurt and haunted look in his eyes when he had mentioned the army. She knew that look and also knew that right now was not the time to keep asking questions about his previous line of work. So instead she picked her puzzle back up and started to fill in the tiny boxes again. It didn't take long for an awkward silence to fall between the two barely acquaintances making both of them feel like either getting far away from each other or breaking the silence.

"What was it like?" Olivia suddenly asked, surprising both Booth and herself.

"What was what like?" He asked temporarily confused.

"What was it like after you 'died' the first time?"

"Hard." He shortly responded. "My son, Parker, he was confused but obviously happy that I was alive. His mother, Becca, was pretty angry at me and then my partner Bones. Bones was the worse I think. She's never had anyone solid in her life really so for me to have faked my death really took a toll on her."

"I don't know how my family will act. I was declared brain dead once after a car accident only to wake up with full brain function. My sister took it pretty hard when she was told of my state and was shocked when she found out I was okay. My niece was too young to understand, Astrid was just pleased I was okay, and then there was Walter and Peter. Walter tried explaining how it could have happened and Peter, he was like my sister, confused but happy… I don't remember much of my shooting…But I can remember Walter trying to talk to me and Peter trying to stop the blood. He tried so hard…"She trailed off, feeling unwanted tears prick her eyes. "I can't really imagine what he's going through."

"Bones tried to stop the bleeding, the first time I was shot." Booth said, rubbing the overlapping scars. "It hurt her, but after a while she recovered. I'm sure once you give Peter some time, he'll recover as well."

"Yeah." She said, standing as fast as her healing body would let her, suddenly feeling exposed. It wasn't like her to open up to an almost complete stranger. "I'm going to call it a night."

"Okay." Booth just barely managed to say since she was already out the door. He knew that her opening up at all must have freaked her out a little but that much? But then again, he had seen the tears building in her eyes and wondered, not for the first time, if Peter meant more to her than just a partner.


	5. O3

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* * *

Brennan paced the platform while her coworkers watched worryingly from the side, trying to stay out of her way. Finally Angela stepped forward.

"Sweetie, look, I'm really sorry. We're not lying though. Booth really is dead." She tried to sound compassionate but they had been trying to get through to her for a few days now so the statement had become more forceful than it's predecessors.

Brennan stopped and stared at her for a moment before resuming her pacing. "No, last time he was just placed into safety so the bad guy would come out of hiding."

"There is no bad guy in hiding this time, Bren. I'm sorry." Angela said, stepping closer to her friend, but Brennan twisted away from her and glared at the artist.

"They haven't found his body – he- he… there's no proof!" Brennan insisted. She had been insisting her story was correct based on that one line; that and one other she would never voice. He'd said he would never leave her. Logically she knew that he was going to die someday but she hadn't been prepared for this.

Brennan turned and speed walked to her office, needing to get away from them all and be alone just for a little bit so she wouldn't have to feel their eyes shining with pity and remorse. Once in her office she shut the door and blinds and finally allowed herself to break down. With her back to the wall she slid down until she was sitting with her knees pressed to her chest and she wept.

He'd left for real this time.

**Three days ago**

"Bren! There's a call coming through to your office!" Angela shouted up to the platform where the anthropologist stood bent over the latest skeleton from the Boston area.

"Let them leave a voicemail; I'm busy." Brennan half shouted without looking up from her task. She heard the beeping of a card being swiped and the click of Angela's heels on the stainless steel floor.

"It's Cullen and he said it was something to do with Booth." Angela waited for Brennan to raise her head before continuing. "It sounded very bad and very serious, hun."

Brennan grimaced at her friend but obediently made her way off the platform and to her office where her phone was blinking signaling a call on hold. Taking a deep breath and letting it out she picked the phone up, feeling in the pit of her stomach that something wasn't right, but not willing to trust that part of her anatomy.

"Brennan," she said shortly.

"Dr. Brennan, this is Director Cullen. There was an accident in at the warehouse Agent Booth and several other agents were sent to, and I'm afraid he didn't make it. The building exploded due to a gas leak and he didn't make it out in time." A heavy sigh came over the phone and Brennan stayed quiet and frozen. "I'm sorry Dr. Brennan. We will find the people behind this and make sure they're put away."

Brennan felt her body still and her breath got stuck in her lungs. After a minute passed she began to feel herself grow weak and faint from the lack of oxygen and it all came out of her in a rush.

"Dr. Brennan? Dr. Brennan?" Cullen's voice came over the line rather concerned.

"Yes – I understand." Her voice was flat and sounded hollow even to her. She hung up the phone and let herself drop onto her office sofa. She never even heard Angela walk into her office until the seat beside her dented in signifying that she had company.

"Sweetie, what did he have to say?" Angela asked, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"He said Booth is dead." Brennan deadpanned but never once looked over at her friend.

Angela gasped, "_what?_"

"He can't be though. He's just in hiding like last time." Brennan blinked fast as if finally coming loose from her shock with complete understanding. She smiled over at her friend and let her tense shoulders relax some.

Angela grimaced but didn't outright tell her friend she was wrong. "Are you sure?"

"Booth is very careful in the field and because of this case his life has been at stake a lot so it makes sense for the FBI to fake his death." Brennan reasoned, feeling the emotional pain ease from her body and mind. She just had to make sure she kept working to solve this case so he could come back to her.

**Six days later**

Brennan knelt in the grass before his grave as the rain poured down around her matching her mood perfectly.

_Seeley M. Booth_

_Beloved Father and Friend_

_11/15/1973 – 08/01/2010_

Tears tracked down her cheeks but the rain kept that fact hidden. Rain soaked into her jeans and button top and she shivered but didn't care. She'd promised him she would be here.

"I don't know why I'm here – I mean I know _why_ because I promised you, but it doesn't make sense. You can't hear me because you're gone." A sob caught in her throat, but she swallowed it. "You said you'd never leave me, like everyone else in my life – but you did."

Brennan hunched over and fisted the wet and fresh grass before taking a deep breath.

"You once told me that you wanted to put behind bars as many murderers as you had killed during your time as a sniper. You never got to finish that mission and so I'll try and finish it for you." A cold smile crossed her face as the tears continued to roll down her pale cheeks. "Starting with this case."

Resolve settled over her being as Brennan forced herself to stand and give one last glance at where her partner and best friend lay, buried six feet deep and beyond her reach.

When she got back to her car she dialed Director Cullen.

"I want in on the case and not just from the lab." She said, clearly determined to not take 'no' for an answer.

"I don't think that's wise, Dr. Brennan." He tried to reason with the scientist.

"No, it really is. Besides Booth, I'm the person who knows the most about this case and if anyone is going to solve it, it'll be me." She was all calm logic infused with passion and she could feel his resolve breaking.

"Fine. You'll be flying out to Boston to work with their agent and you'll be helping him. I'll let the director there in Boston know you'll be there." Cullen hung up and Brennan grinned almost sadistically. She wasn't going to disappoint Booth and she would find justice for him.


	6. A3

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A gun, a rope, a very tall roof, hell, even a freezer would be nice at the moment! Anything to take him away from this! He wasn't particularly suicidal…Yet. But seriously, how could anyone possibly tolerate this woman? She was the most irritating, completely rational, blunt and straight forward person he had ever met, taking almost everything he said as truth and repeating the same damn sentence over and over again 'I don't know what that means' how can't you know what a reference to the loony toons meant? Did she grow up under a rock? Sure she was older than him, but not by much. They should have grown up with the same television shows and sayings, but for some reason she just didn't understand any of them. Was there such thing as a stupid genius? He had thought that dealing with Walter day in and day out was hard enough, but ever since Dr. Logical had shown up at the lab, he was starting to prefer spending time with his clinically insane father. At least the man made sense to him! He was a genius for Pete's sake yet still had a hard time following her form of scientific jumble which completely perturbed him. And it wasn't just him that was having a hard time with it. Poor Astrid looked like her brain was about to melt just trying to keep up with everyone. Having an insane genius and a sarcastic genius was enough, but then add in a completely logical one and you had better build a bomb shelter since their clashing personalities and views were already building to an inevitable blow up…They had only been in the same room for an hour.

"What you're saying is impossible." Brennan insisted, looking around the lab and giving Gene an appreciative glance. Being a vegetarian she had a strong liking for animals.

"I've told you, this is fringe science, everything that you would think is impossible is possible here." Peter groaned, having told her the same thing over a dozen times already.

"That makes no sense. You're trying to tell me that the reason Booth is dead is because of some sort of mind control? Mind control doesn't exist; the brain isn't susceptible to such a thing."

"The brain is more susceptible to things than you may think." Walter grumbled, also getting annoyed with her. Convincing Dr. Brennan that fringe science existed was proving to be more challenging than getting Walter to admit that he was wrong about something.

"Booth got blown up, not shot by someone being controlled!" Brennan stated aggressively.

"Then why are you here?" Peter yelled slamming his fist against a metal table, causing everyone to jump. "My partner was killed because someone was being controlled! She saved my father only to die in my arms! Our partners are dead and it's because of mind control! You can choose to accept that or not, but it's true and standing here questioning everything we tell you isn't going to get anywhere and sure as hell isn't going to get us the closure that we both need, the justice that we crave for our partners deaths!"

A stifling silence fell between them for a few minutes before she let out a soft, unrecognizable noise and he could see a flash of emotion cross her steel like eyes.

"He was all I had." She finally said quietly before quickly leaving the room, the slamming of the heavy door the only noise in the now completely silent room.

"It's not much different." Astrid piped up after a few minutes had passed. "What she's going through, and what you're going through."

"You don't know what I'm going through." Peter denied, shaking his head slowly.

"You're right I don't, but she does." Astrid pointed out. "She's going through the same thing Peter, and she's just trying to understand it."

"I know." He said softly, instantly feeling guilty for yelling at the poor woman who was obviously hurting. He looked to the door for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh and quickly making his way out of the lab and scanned the halls where he quickly found her standing in front of a window, her shoulders shaking slightly. '_Great' _he thought, _'I made her cry.' _

He slowly made his way over to where she was standing, watching her frantically wipe at her eyes to try and hide the fact that she had been crying. Reaching out, he gently touched her shoulder and sighed.

"I'm sorry."He admitted.

"Do you think they're really dead?" She asked confusing him.

"She died while I held her." He chocked out, swallowing a large lump. "I felt her go limp in my arms while her blood seeped into my clothing."

"I'm sorry." She said cringing at the mental image and remembering what it had been like to tightly press her hand over Booth's bullet wound and feel his hot blood seeping out of his strong body and through her fingers. She had felt his life draining from him, but he had still been alive when they took him away, still responding. She couldn't even begin to imagine what it would have been like if he was in her arms and had gone limp like Peter's partner had.

"What did you mean by asking if I think they are really dead?" Peter asked not wanting to drop that odd comment just yet.

"Booth faked his death once to catch a killer." She admitted. "But I don't think he's faking this time."

"I don't think Olivia would do that." Peter sighed, his heart giving a little flip at the thought. She wouldn't lie to him about something like that, she just wouldn't. It took them so long to build trust that if she were to fake her death, he wasn't sure what he would do. What it would do to their relationship.

"Hey, guys! Walter wants you for something!" Astrid called to them, sticking her head out the lab door.

"Are you okay?" Peter asked truly concerned after he had brought her to tears.

"I'm fine." She nodded, wiping the last of the remnants of tears away, the steely glint in her eyes instantly coming back as she straightened her shirt and breezed past him like nothing had happened. He watched her leave before shaking his head and following her.

"It's back to the wonderful world of Wonka!" He called after her making her turn around and face him with a perplexed look on her face.

"I don't know what that means." She stated for the hundredth time.

"Never mind." He stated, shaking his head and holding the door open for her letting her pass before closing the door behind them and preparing himself for whatever it was Walter needed this time.

"Oh good there you are!" Walter exclaimed ambling up to Peter and leaning in close to him. "There is something that I need."

"And what could that possibly be?" Peter cautiously asked.

"Twinkies!" Walter practically yelled a huge smile stretching over his face making Peter smack his palm against his forehead, groaning at his father's sudden sugar cravings.

"Twinkies, really, that's what's so important?"

"Yes. I haven't had a Twinkie in years. They don't have them at St. Claire's."

"The mental hospital?" Brennan asked with a shocked and uncertain look on her face. Apparently no one had filled her in on that detail.

"Yes." Walter nodded as if that revelation was nothing compared to his sugar need. "Could you go out and get some Peter?"

"Okay." Peter nodded knowing how his father could get if his glucose level got too low and also just wanting to get some fresh air.

"Why don't you bring Dr. Brainiac with you?" He asked nicely apparently oblivious to his calling Brennan by a different name, something that highly amused Astrid.

"Walter, its Dr. Brennan." Peter rolled his eyes, turning his gaze to her. "Want to go with me or stay here?"

"There doesn't seem to be anything I can do here." She shrugged, putting her coat on.

"Alright then, let's go." Peter said gesturing her out of the lab.

Walter waited for the door to close and practically bolted to the window and watched them get into the car and drive away before turning back to Astrid with a relived look.

"Thank god." He groaned before going over to a cabinet and pulling out a box of Twinkies handing one to Astrid who burst out laughing at the thought that even Walter was having a hard time adjusting to the new doctor.

"That was a little mean." She commented throwing the wrapper away and taking a bite of the spongy treat.

"I did to be able to think." Walter shrugged and took off to some unknown part of the lab leaving her behind with an amused look on her face.


	7. O4

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* * *

Olivia finished tying her dark sneakers and stood in front of her bathroom mirror. Dressed completely in black and her hair pulled back into a pony tail that was covered up by a hood that was attached to her form fitting jacket, she flexed and stretched her limbs, testing the wounded areas to see if they would hold while she went out on her own secret mission. Satisfied that her body would definitely hold she quietly exited her bathroom and made her way to her bedroom window that she had left open all day so that no one would hear her open it. Bracing herself at the sill she stepped up into the window and then without over thinking it, leapt to a large branch that was just a few feet away and carefully swung down until her feet touched earth. Squatting down and being as still and quiet as she could she listened for the agents who were stationed to watch them.

After a few cracks and footsteps she confirmed they were out of her path of escape and slouched off behind some bushes and over the fence in a flash before they could take note of her. Olivia half jogged and walked a mile before she felt safe enough to wave a cab and get a ride for a large portion of the trip. The cab took her several miles before it pulled over and she walked a few more blocks to stand in front of a quiet brick bungalow.

The light in the living room was on and she saw him hunched over on the sofa. He looked so sad and defeated and Olivia's heart lurched in her chest at the sight of him. She bit her lip in anguish as she fought not to storm up to his door and spill all the truth – that he had saved her and she was alive and missing him.

"I'm guessing he's not your brother," a quiet and sympathetic voice came from behind her.

Olivia twisted and got into a fighting pose, ready to take on an army of attackers but only saw Booth. She scowled at him and crossed her arms, readying a very different kind of defense.

"Why'd you follow me?" She asked bitterly. She wanted this moment alone to let her shields down and see Peter, even if he couldn't see her.

"It's not safe to be out on your own, Dunham." Booth said, allowing her the space she so desperately needed for the moment.

"I think I can take care of myself," Olivia said, her defenses slowly dropping. She didn't have it in her to be angry not when Peter was so close and she was losing the time she could be watching him.

"Is he your partner?" Booth asked, trying a different line of conversation.

Olivia went back to staring at her partner through the large window from her place across the street and nodded. "Yeah. He's a scientist slash ex-con and the smartest person I've ever met. Quite the FBI combo, right?" Olivia snorted and shook her head at the irony.

"My partner was a scientist as well," Booth said, stepping up beside her to look in the same direction as her. "Too smart for her own good and always getting into trouble."

Olivia glanced up at him and saw the look of a man who was clearly in love with his partner but didn't say anything more. They waited in silence for a few minutes as she watched the man she was slowly falling for staring down at his coffee table, clearly stressed and tired.

"We should go before he looks out the window and sees you," Booth said, feeling bad for tearing her away from this chance to see her partner, but it was getting dangerous, staying here in the open.

"I know," Olivia said, still not able to take her eyes away from him. Sighing she forced herself to turn toward Booth and gave him a grim smile. "Shall we?"

Booth gave a dark chuckle before also turning. He gave one last glance at the old house and his breath caught in his throat. A tall and slender woman had walked into the living room with two wine glasses and as she got closer to the window he knew it was her.

Her hair was pulled back into a sloppy pony tail that had a pencil stuck through it and he could tell from the distance that her slow movement probably meant she was tired and not sleeping well. Booth gripped Olivia's shoulder to halt her and continued to stare into the window his sordid case partner had been staring into.

Olivia turned and looked back to see the beautiful woman hand Peter a glass of wine and to see him laugh then presumably thank her. She grimaced when Booth gripped her shoulder even tighter, knowing it'd bruise, but not caring because it fit her mood perfectly. It would seem her partner had moved on to another while she was away.

"That's her," Booth whispered from beside her. "But what is she doing in Boston?"

Olivia relaxed a bit and realized that maybe they weren't seeing each other.

"Maybe they're working the field end of this case?" Olivia threw the idea out tentatively.

"Yeah, right. Two squints in the field while the agents sit in the background doing the paperwork." Booth snorted and almost laughed.

"Well why not? I can only speak for Peter, but he's really good at interrogating and he's always had my back when chasing down suspects." She felt rather then heard the pride for her partner in her voice and couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. "If anyone is going to help solve this case, it's him."

"You haven't told him you love him yet, have you." It was more of a statement that had Booth grinning from ear to ear at her mild blush.

Olivia just stared angrily at the window that framed so perfectly her partner talking to this other scientist. Maybe if she never admitted it out loud, it wouldn't have to be true.

Without another word the duo began the walk back to their shared house so they could get some sleep before tackling the case files again tomorrow. They had to be missing something that could help them solve this case.

Once they were back to the house Booth helped boost Olivia back up into the tree and once up she held her hand down to help him up as well. They both climbed the remainder of the tree to the window and they sat on the limb closest to the window. Olivia was about to make a swift head first dive through the window when she felt a hand on her arm, keeping her gently in place.

"Olivia, I know this isn't the greatest situation to be in overall," he paused and caught her gaze. "But, for what it's worth; I'm glad it's you that's stuck here as well even if neither of us wants to be here at all. You're clearly a very good agent and person."

Olivia grinned at him and then finally allowed herself to smile. "You're not so bad yourself, _Seeley_." She turned and once his hand dropped she made a quick leap across the short gap and landed in her bedroom into a summersault and to her feet.

Olivia watched as Booth considered doing the same and she shook her head in mirth. He'd make much more noise trying to do what she did, so she got close to the window and held her hand out as far as it would reach and he took it and made a long jumping step onto the sill and finally stumbled in.

"Good night, Dunham." Both said as he crossed her room with only a glance back and out her door.

"Good night, Booth."


	8. A4

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* * *

Walter stared out at the street from his spot on the porch swing, a large cup of orange juice cradled in his hands, the cold beverage cooling his warm skin. August had just started bringing with it the heat wave that had encompassed most of July so the cold juice was a necessity. Plus holding the cup helped to stop the quaking in his hands which hadn't stopped since the shooting. He just couldn't get it out of his mind, Olivia's blood seeping from her onto the floor and onto Peter's chest as he held her so incredibly tight to him while he called her name like a mantra. He had then seen a sight that had nearly broken his heart, his son sobbing into the hair of the woman in his arms. And it was all because she had taken the bullets meant for him.

Pushing the thoughts aside, he pushed himself off the swing and ambled his way into the house which was completely silent, Peter having gone off with Dr. Brazen on yet another trip Walter had come up with just to get the annoying doctor away. She was slowly starting to grow on him like hair grows on a freshly shaved head, but he still preferred to be left alone. And to be honest, all he saw her as was a replacement for an irreplaceable person. He understood that she was there to help catch who did this to Olivia and to agent Booth but if anything, she was just getting in the way always asking questions that no one really felt like answering and pointing out the illogicality of things. She needed to just accept it and let them do their jobs. If they had any hope at all in finding out who did this that is. He just wanted to get the answers that they all needed and at the moment they were not very successful at doing that, though he had almost figured out exactly how the mind control was happening. It was pretty basic really, almost exactly like Tyler's mind control had worked on Peter not that long ago. It was mainly just a serious of stimuli that was either caused by taking pills like Tyler had or some other type of ingestible substance. Though admittedly this didn't get them any closer to the person using the mental stimulation drugs, or to why they were doing what they had done and would more than likely do again if not stopped.

He let out a noise that sounded like a mix between a groan and a sigh, putting his cup down and looking around the house. They had all been too out of it to have even considered cleaning and now that he really looked at the place he could see just how much an impact that had done on the normally obsessively clean house. The sink was filled to the point where dishes were leaning precariously, threatening to fall at any given moment. There was old food out on the table and counters and trail of clothing that appeared to go from the foyer to every other room in the house. He quickly made his way to the laundry room and grabbed an empty basket before collecting every article of clothing that he could see, soon having the basket full to its limit but stuffing just a little more into it before heading up the stairs to collect the clothes there as well. He had just gotten done with Peter's room before something white caught his eye. The cabinet beside Peter's bed was opened and he could see the corner of a white shirt sticking out of it. Going over, he picked it up and was instantly assaulted with the smell of old blood. It only took him a minute to realize just whose blood had coated the shirt, the revelation bringing stinging tears to his eyes. Gently, he closed the cabinet door and he placed the shirt on the top of the pile before carrying it all down the stairs and starting a load, putting the shirt to the side before pouring a cup of bleach onto it and leaving it to sit, watching the bleach slowly start to eat away at the crimson stain.

**282828282828282**

Peter dropped the bag of things that Walter wanted on the table before shedding his coat and tossing it in the general direction of the couch. Dr. Brennan had opted to go back to the hotel she was staying in while Astrid, who had joined them during their shopping trip, had decided to head back to the house with Peter to check in on Walter.

"Where is he?" She asked, not seeing Walter anywhere.

"Walter!" Peter called out also not seeing the other man anywhere. Not getting a response, he started going through each room on the main floor before heading up stairs which was also void of his father. It was then that he realized just how clean the place was and that there was a pile of clothing on his bed. Making his way into his room, he suddenly stopped short when his eyes rested on the white shirt sitting on the top. He only owned one white shirt, so that meant…No, he wouldn't!

Peter practically ran over to the cabinet and yanked the door open, his heart instantly dropping into the pit of his stomach when full realization hit him, Walter had washed the shirt. He grabbed the shirt and unfolded it only to feel tears brim in his eyes when he noticed that the stain was completely gone, she was completely gone. Clutching the shirt tightly in his hands he stormed out of the room determined to find his father. He eventually found him outside in the yard with Astrid and stormed his way over to him.

"What the hell did you do?" He roared a watery fire in his greenish-blue eyes, the shirt clutched so tightly he wouldn't be surprised if his nails left marks in the fabric.

"What do you mean?" Walter asked a little confused until his he caught sight of the shirt. "It had blood all over it Peter."

"Oh Walter." Astrid sadly remarked when she saw the tears in Peter's eyes knowing that he had put the shirt away for a reason.

"Why did you take it out of the cabinet?" Peter spat out. "It wasn't there so that it could be washed, I put it there for a reason! I didn't want this washed!"

"I didn't know." Walter squeaked out, his eyes large at the sight of his son's pure unadulterated anger and sorrow. "The cabinet door was open and it was hanging out, I just thought…" But he didn't get to finish what he was saying before Peter had abruptly turned on his heel and angrily stalked away back into the house.

Walter went to follow him but was stopped by Astrid's out stretched arm.

"Let him go." She said softly.

"I didn't know." Walter barely whispered, his eyes downcast, staring at his shoes.

"I know that, and Peter knows that, he's just angry and sad right now." She explained. "Just give him a few minutes before you go looking for him."

"Why did he keep the shirt?" Walter suddenly wanted to know, sitting on one of the lawn chairs.

"It was her blood Walter." She shrugged. "It was something of her that he had."

Walter wiped at his eyes and nodded before standing up and heading into the house faster than she could react. He found Peter in his bedroom sitting on his bed and staring down at the shirt that was still in his hands. He knocked on the door and walked in, sitting beside his son.

"I didn't know."

"I know Walter."Peter barely managed to get out, not looking at him.

"You loved her didn't you?" Walter asked, getting a watery look from Peter as his answer.

"Walter?" Astrid said from the doorway. "Let's leave Peter alone for now."

"Oh, but I…"

"I'll be fine Walter." Peter cut him off, not looking at him. "Please just leave me alone."

"Oh, okay." Walter moaned, standing up and going to the doorway before glancing behind him to see Peter fall back onto his bed and pull the blanket over him and curl up, the t-shirt securely pressed against his chest. He swore he could see Peter's strong shoulders shake in a silent sob before he closed the door and went down stairs.


	9. O5

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We don't own the show though that would be pretty useful.

* * *

Brennan finished laying out the last of the skeleton she'd brought from DC on the table she and Peter had moved earlier that day to a quiet side of the lab. He'd even been nice enough to set her up with a few elbow lamps to help her see better and a few other helpful tools to get her on her way until Astrid could get the remainder of her requests. She was abnormally excited about getting started on her bones as it was something only she could do to help bring Booth justice. She worked leaning over the remains categorizing each imperfection for several hours before a cramp in her back forced her to stop when Peter's insistence for her to take a break wouldn't work. Last she had heard they all went out to grab a bite to eat and by looking around at the deserted lab she surmised that they were still all out. Her stomach growled signaling her long delayed need for food. Deciding she wasn't getting anywhere with an empty stomach and an aching back she grabbed her bag and headed out in search of food.

Because Harvard had a very large campus that normally was bustling with student life she only had to walk half a mile before the lights of restaurants came into view. It was eerily quiet for nine in the evening, even if it was a Wednesday. The block was deserted and the one street lamp that was nearby flickered precariously. On what particularly bright flare she saw a man just three houses down standing in a black plain cut suit and completely bald and pale. He was staring at her unmoving and she paused in her progress toward the busier part of town. Noticing that she had stopped, the man began a slow and steady progress toward her.

Her brain told her to bolt. Run back to the lab and not look back, but something else held her still and waited, like a colt ready to make it's dash for safety. When the man was just fifteen feet away he stopped and they just stared at each other. When she couldn't take the silence anymore she finally spoke up.

"Who are you?" She asked, but he'd spoken the same thing as her at the same time. Thinking that it was just a coincidence she tried again.

"No really, who are you?" And once again it was said in sync. She was incredibly confused now.

"How…" Once again in sync.

"Mind reading is impossible!" Brennan growled out in frustration but he once again spoke the same thing at the same time.

"Ethmoid, ilium, sphenoid, sacra, ulna, femur, talus, clavical!" She half shouted, daring him to say the same and he did.

"Give this to Peter Bishop," he finally spoke on his own, setting down an envelope on the sidewalk in front of him before walking away from her and all the questions burning deep inside her head. When he was out of sight Brennan went and picked the envelope up, turning it in her hand and taking note of the plain scrawl '_Peter Bishop_' on the front. Deciding that it was probably more important to get this to Peter than to eat she turned back and headed in the direction of the lab at a brisk pace, occasionally checking behind her for anyone following. When she finally stepped through the lab doors she was quick to find Peter at what must've been considered his normal lab station. He only spared her a glance but then looked back up again when he saw how off she looked. He stood up and faced her with a look of concern.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

Brennan, not sure what to say, just handed him the envelope. Taking it from her he glanced at the front with his name on it then opened it, unfolding a single sheet of paper. Brennan watched as he turned white as a sheet and began shaking like a leaf. He stared at up her and then back down again, his eyes scanning the paper.

"Where did you get this from?" Peter said, his voice hard and cold.

Brennan stuttered, unsure of what to make of this harsher Peter.

"_Where did you get this from, Brennan?_" His voice had heart breaking pain to it and he stepped forward and gripped her shoulders and shook her hard.

She fought the instinct to defend herself as she knew he was just hurting inside.

"A man. He was bald and wore a black suit. I didn't know who he was, but he told me to give that to you. What did it say Peter?"

He looked down at the paper again and ignored her. "Did he have eyebrows?"

"What kind of question is that? What did the paper say?" Brennan asked, getting fed up with his lack of cooperation.

"Eyebrows, Brennan?" Peter half growled.

"No! I guess he didn't, but what does that have to with anything. More fascinating is the fact that he knew what I was going to say before I said it outloud. That doesn't even make sense. It's not possible!" Brennan argued more with herself than Peter.

"I know." Peter left it at that. When he saw that Brennan was far from satisfied with his short answer he continued, "we call him the Observer. If I told you more about him you'd probably think I was crazy."

Peter stepped back and sat down in his seat again.

"It says 'She's Alive'." Peter said softly.

"She – who?" Brennan asked confused.

"Olivia; my partner. It has to mean her." Peter said with conviction and frustration.

"How do you know?" Brennan asked bluntly.

"Who else could it mean? What other woman has died that I personally know?" Peter said.

Brennan stayed silent as she watched emotions flash across Peter's face, all of them extreme. Deciding it was probably best to give him his space she moved back to her work table and began her work again. She could feel that she was close to something, as illogical as it sounded, but maybe she was close and she had to keep working.

898989898989

Olivia was getting frustrated.

Frustrated with the lack of progress; the lack of her partner and she was mostly frustrated with the seclusion this hide out offered. She had no idea how anyone she knew was doing or if they were even okay. Olivia took to pacing the length of the dining room again, running a hand through her hair, messing it up yet again.

Booth walked in without even glancing at her and headed straight for the coffee machine and then to exchange a set of files for ones he'd read through already. Apparently, Olivia pacing was a normality of their new life in the safe house. She stopped to stare at him and let out a sigh.

"Anything stick out?" She asked, trying to keep her calm.

"No, sorry. I'm not going to stop looking though." Booth said determined.

Olivia gave one of her dry smiles before nodding. She was about to grab another file herself when she saw Booth tense up and his eyes go wide in fear. Olivia froze in place and she watched in fascinated horror as Booth leapt over the breakfast bar and made to tackle her to the ground. His body hit her's squarely and he had her pinned to the ground just as a shot broke through the sliding glass door where she had been standing. Olivia gasped for air but couldn't get any since Booth had knocked the wind out of her when he had landed on her. She was embarrassed to admit to herself that she was rather stunned from the hit and lack of oxygen and it was Booth who had to drag her past the window and to the minimal safety of the wall, but they kept low none the less. When she finally caught some air, sounds filtered back into her ears – shouts and more gunfire as the assumedly the agents outside were taking care of whoever had tried to shoot her.

"Thank you," Olivia gasped, eyes only slightly wild as she let the mask of calmness slip back into place with only a little struggle.

"That's what partners are for, right?" Booth said, grinning from the rush of adrenaline.

Olivia bit her lip and frowned at him, remembering the number of times Peter had saved her. God she missed him. Booth's face darkened when he saw the look on her face and similar thoughts must have passed through his mind.

The gunfire had died down and Olivia went to stand and get some space when there was a sharp pain in her stomach that made her double over. Clutching her abdomen, she looked down and noticed that her yellow t-shirt had blood starting to show on it. Had she been shot and not known it. She looked up at Booth who was now staring at her in horror. Olivia lifted her shirt to inspect her stomach and saw that it was just the bullet wound in her stomach that had reopened, but it was bleeding rather profusely.

"Oh – Liv, I'm sorry, I-" Booth said, looking a little lost as to what to do.

"What? No – you saved my life Booth." Olivia said and then gasped when another twinge of pain hit and more blood spilled out of her. Okay, it was turning into a lot of blood now, Olivia thought. Darkness seeped in at the edges of her vision and she almost tipped if Booth hadn't caught her.

"Whoa there," Booth said, easing her down to a laying position.

"Booth?" Olivia asked, her vision getting darker.

"I need a medic!" Booth shouted toward the broken window hoping someone would hear. It was only a minute before an agent came rushing in and saw Booth pressing his hands down onto a barely aware Olivia. The agent nodded and got on his walkie talkie to get the request out. "It's okay, Liv, someone is coming. You're going to be okay."

Olivia nodded blearily. She knew she could trust Booth. Before everything went black, Olivia watched as a few medics rushed in with a stretcher.


	10. A5

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* * *

Booth mainly kept his eyes trained on the pavement as it sped underneath the car's tires, occasionally looking over to watch the paler than normal agent beside him sleeping, her head resting against the window. A paramedic had just gotten done stitching her back up when Broyles and Cullen had come marching into the house with a few more agents, demanding the he pack everything that belonged to him and meet them outside as soon as possible, they were being moved. A paramedic had kept Olivia sitting while one of the agents collected her belongings and unceremoniously tossed it all into a bag before throwing it into the trunk of the car. Not much was said, just that they were being moved to another safe house, this one in Lynn Massachusetts. It wasn't far away, but far enough that they should be safe there. Booth wanted to point out that they were supposed to be safe at this place too but shut his mouth when he realized that they were probably seen when Olivia had decided to sneak out to see Peter. He wasn't going to blame her for this though, he would have done the same, hell he did do the same. He hadn't of had to go after her and he knew damn well what she was up to. There was no guarantee that she was the one that had been spotted, for all he knew it could have been him that sent the sniper there way. So he had just opted to stay quiet, though he had an eerie feeling that Broyles and Cullen somehow knew about their late night adventure from safety.

"Olivia, wake up." He said gently shaking her awake once the car stopped outside the new safe house.

"What?" She blearily asked, rubbing her eyes and wincing when she stretched too far, stressing her fresh stitches.

"We're here." He explained, getting out of the car. Grabbing both his and her stuff out of the trunk, he started lugging it all into the considerably smaller safe house, if they ever felt like they were crowded in the last one; this one would be like hell.

Olivia pushed her door open and stepped out onto the considerably vacant road, already desiring more civilization but knowing that she had brought this on herself. If she hadn't of snuck out…

"You need to get inside now." One of the agents said, ushering her inside. She sent the small man a half hearted glare not wanting to be pushed back inside the confines of a house but knowing that he was just doing his job. She looked around as she walked into the tiny house, its first floor consisting of the smallest kitchen she had ever seen, looking more like a walk in closet than a kitchen, there was one room off to it that held two beat up arm chairs and a tiny TV that might have been new when Walter was a child. There was one door leading off of that where she could see a toilet and a very small walk in shower. At the side of the living area was a set of very old stairs that looked like they were built by a blind lumberjack with a strong like for chainsaws, each step being a different size than the first.

"What the hell?" She could hear Booth's voice travel down the stairs.

"What?" She called up to him.

"Come up here and see." He remarked.

She sighed a little annoyed at his form of an answer, and carefully made her way up the stairs only to find that the upstairs consisted of just one room…And had just one considerably small bed! There was also just one bureau off to the side that had more holes in it than Swiss cheese.

"You have got to be kidding me." She muttered. "For one thing, this place makes Walter's lab look welcoming and safe, and two, that bed looks like it will collapse if any pressure is put on it, not to mention two people."

"I would say I would take the couch, but there isn't one and those chairs will probably turn to dust if either of us tries to sit in them." Booth explained, not liking the idea of having to even attempt to sleep on that bed not to mention having to share it with the other agent.

"The floor doesn't look promising either." Olivia admitted, looking at the floor and noticing that she could see parts of the first floor through it. "I think we can handle this though."

"Yes. I'm sure we can. How are you feeling?" He asked wanting to change the subject from their sleeping arrangement.

"Fine, though I'm not sure how fine I would be if you hadn't of noticed that sniper…How did you notice him?" She asked curiously. She had no clue that anyone was aiming at her, so how did he?

"When I was in the army, it was pretty important for me to know when another sniper was around. I could just sense him." He shrugged not missing the shocked look on her face.

"You were a sniper?"

"Yeah, not something I'm that proud of." He explained. "I helped to keep my country safe, but killing wasn't what I had in mind when I enlisted."

"I was a prosecutor in the marines. Made a lot of enemies that way, including someone that I ended up working with for a while, he pretty much became my boss which was uncomfortable to say the least." She explained. "And you may not be very proud of being a sniper, but if you hadn't of been, then I would probably be dead now, so thank you."

"You're welcome."Booth smiled a little. "Come on, we might as well try and make this place livable."

Olivia agreed and grabbed her things from him before they both started unpacking there things.

Peter walked through the silent graveyard and over to the stone that held her name. The stone may have read her name along with date of birth and death, but the note he still had in his pocket made his heart and mind wonder, what if? What if she wasn't dead? Why would the observer of all people give Brennan a note to give to him stating she was alive if she wasn't? There was no one else that he knew that had died recently so it must mean Olivia. But if she was alive, then where was she? Why hadn't he been informed that she was alive? Would she really keep something like that from him? Would she fake her own death like Brennan had said that Booth had? Booth, if Olivia was alive, was he? Were they together? The thought making him visibly flinch, but was in its own way slightly and oddly reassuring. At least that way if she was alive and hurt, she wouldn't be alone. He never wanted her to be alone or to feel that way so having Booth around wouldn't be such a bad idea, right? A part of his heart kept telling him that she was dead and that none of these speculations mattered, yet part of him just couldn't let go…What if?


	11. O6

If we owned Fringe it would probably end up being nothing but Peter and Olivia hot lovin' 24/7 and if we owned Bones, Booth and Bones would be together already!

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* * *

Olivia was lying in bed, counting the various markings on the bedroom ceiling and trying to ignore the steady snores of the bulky man beside her. She stifled a harsh laugh as she thought back to how she used to prefer her men to be tall, broad in the shoulders, and all muscle. Take John. He was all height and all muscle and she remembered a time when she'd mentally drool at the thought of his body, but sharing a twin bed with a big hulking man that she wasn't interested in romantically was not easy. The man slept like a rock! Every once in awhile he'd flip over and nearly take her out or push her considerably lighter frame off the edge of the bed. Maybe they could take turns sleeping, Olivia mused, as this just wasn't working very well. Perhaps she would have to take up naps during the day.

She was just about to dose off despite the odds when she felt the bed shift and an arm wrapped around her waist and tighten. Olivia's eyes batted open and glared at the wall. If he wasn't asleep she would've kicked his ass, but he most definitely was.

"Bones," he murmured in his sleep.

Olivia had heard him call his old partner that in passing conversation but she never really thought to ask why and was just glad the worst nick name she'd gotten from Peter was 'Sweetheart' and a few pointed glares nipped that in the butt.

"Bones!" He called out, louder this time and his arm tightened making Olivia flinch when her stomach began to throb. Frustrated that he wasn't letting go she elbowed him in the gut, making sure to avoid his bad shoulder and half shouted his name.

"Booth!"

His arm instantly loosened and she heard him fall off the other side of the bed in his haste to create space between them. Olivia almost laughed but the effort hurt her stomach and it came out as more of a grimace. Rubbing his backside he stood up and achingly stretched out his cramped muscles.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled tiredly.

"Don't worry about it." Olivia said, understanding what he was going through. "Why don't you take the bed for awhile and I'll go downstairs and start on some of the case files. I'll wake you up when I'm tired." She smiled kindly at him, something she hadn't done to a fellow agent since Charlie. There was always Broyles who occasionally got a wry smile, but that was pretty much it. It was a testament to how exhausted Booth must have been because his normal and sometimes annoying chivalrous ways were pushed aside as he groggily nodded and climbed back into the bed that Olivia exited from. Before she'd even made it to the door his soft snores were filling the room. Men… Olivia thought spitefully.

Feeling just a little grumpy, Olivia set up camp on the living room floor and spread the files out and began letting her mind sort through the facts and profiles. With the help of coffee she was able to sort through a few files and even found a possible lead that she was anxious to pass on to Broyles, but eventually despite the uncomfortable floor she fell asleep with her hands pulled beneath her head.

It was the dull aching of her stomach and back that slowly brought Olivia back to consciousness. It took her a minute to realize that she was on the floor, but now she was covered up by a blanket. She was about to ponder how that had gotten there when she looked up and noticed Booth sitting up against the wall across from her reading a file and seemingly so engrossed in it that he didn't notice her.

"Need a refill on that coffee?" Booth asked gruffly, looking up at her.

Olivia fought the blush creeping up to her cheeks at having been caught sleeping on the job. He must've taken the hint because he rose from the floor and then picked up her coffee mug that was half filled with ice cold coffee.

"What time is it?" She called from the living room, slowly getting up and trying to avoid hurting herself any more than she already had.

"It's just about noon." Booth answered and then entered the room to hand her the coffee. "Why, have you got a date or something?" He gave a teasing smile and she fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

Instead she shrugged and took the coffee from him; cupping the hot mug in her hands to warm them up.

"Booth?" She asked. "Why do you call your partner 'Bones'?"

Booth eyed her up, looking as if he were sizing her up and whether or not to tell her the truth. Finally he answered.

"At first it was because she worked with human remains; more specifically bones. After awhile it meant something more. We became friends. Then best friends." Booth paused and ran a hand through his hair, sighing with his feelings written plain on his face. "Then I fell in love with her. I know I wasn't supposed to. She's this freaking genius and my partner. It wasn't supposed to happen. Now I call her Bones to remind myself of what we were and how we'll never happen."

His face was dark and full of emotion and Olivia felt so bad for him. Was this the path she and Peter were on? Would she fall for him only for him to reject her? He was a suave and charming guy who could sweet talk any girl into his bed. Why would he want a rough and tough, emotionally challenged, sarcastic cop? She gave him a look of what she hoped was understanding. Soon the moment had passed and they both worked and exchanged ideas well into the day.

It was seven in the evening and Olivia finally got a chance at the bed while Booth relayed the information they had figured to Broyles on the phone. It only took a few minutes before she was passed out into a sweet oblivion.

Olivia was racing down a block and she had no idea why. It was completely abandoned but there were parked cars beside her, as she ran past them, all on fire. Buildings crumbled around her but there was an all consuming fear that had nothing to do with her surroundings. She started to slow so she could think of why, but then she saw him up ahead.

He was dressed in only jeans and he stood in the middle of the street; his arms outstretched to his sides and raised up. His eyes were glowing while he stared at her or more like through her. Olivia stumbled to a stop as his head tilted up and lighting came down from the sky to strike him. She gasped as she watched him rise into the air; the lightening making his whole body glow. His body began to shake and Olivia could feel him dying. She didn't know how or why but she knew he was dying and she felt the scream building in her throat until it reverberated off the buildings and echoed in her ears.

Her body shook and tears ran fresh down her cheeks unchecked and the anguish that filled every corner of her body spilled over until she was letting great screams out for the world to hear her loss.

"OLIVIA!" She heard a shout and there was a biting pain starting at each of her biceps. Then awareness hit her all at once and the first thing she saw was Booth's face just inches from her, shouting her name. The abject fear must've shown on her face because without a word he clutched her tightly to his chest and let her cry. She shook like a leaf in a storm but she didn't quite care at the moment. Every part of her being needed to escape and find Peter, but whenever she tried to move to get up and run to him her body betrayed her and only shook more.

Booth ran soothing circles on her back through her t-shirt and murmured assurances into her ear as he rocked her back and forth. When she finally stopped crying she pulled herself out of his arms and couldn't even look him in the eyes.

"Olivia, its okay you know." His words, though kind, were a reality call to Olivia. "You love him so it's natural to fear for him."

"I was always there to protect him though and now… what if something happens? What if he needs me?" Olivia asked. Booth smiled a bit and apparently had a ready answer.

"Bones will watch his back, just like she did mine."

"'Watch his back' had better not be code for sex…" Olivia said cautiously.

Booth laughed uproariously and almost couldn't stop before he fell off the bed, and would've taken Olivia with him.

"No, it isn't code. Bones has saved my life on more than a few occasions. If your partner is safe with anyone, it's her." Booth sounded so sure of himself.

Olivia wanted to believe him; she really did, but she wouldn't believe he was safe until she could see him face to face.


	12. A6

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* * *

Walter went through the information that he had in his head once more, jotting down presumably random things at random times. His tongue was stuck out in intense concentration, his hair disheveled from his fingers running through it so many times and his clothing looking like he had gone through a wind tunnel from where he had just haphazardly thrown them on and headed to the lab. He knew that Peter would probably mutilate him for taking the car, but he was getting better at driving, really. He hadn't been able to sleep last night and had gone through everything that had happened in his head and had come to the conclusion that whatever or whoever was controlling the person that shot agent Dunham and that blew up agent Booth had to have been close to them. In fact they more than likely had to be in the same room at the time. When Tyler Carson had taken over control of those men's abilities by mind control and then Peter's, he had been in the same general area as they had, just a few feet away. So it only made sense that this person would be doing the same. But that's when his brain kept shutting down his thoughts. Aside from Peter, Olivia, agent Marco and himself, there was no one else in that room. There had been another agent with them, but she had stayed outside while they had gone into the house with Marco. Which then brought him to the idea that some_thing _was doing this, but what? He let out a frustrated noise and snapped his notebook shut, running his fingers through his hair again and abruptly standing. He needed a walk and knew just the place to go, the old burying ground cemetery not too far from the university. It was where Olivia's grave was located.

The graveyard, like most, was mainly void of any living souls making the place eerily clam and silent. There was the occasional grieving relation that would drop a bouquet of flowers on a grave or kneel down beside one to pray, but hardly any of them stuck out to him, that is, except for one. Standing just a few feet away from Olivia's grave stood a man dressed completely in black, from his shoes to the fedora that sat on top his bald head. Walter instantly knew who he was.

"It's been a while since I saw you last." Walter remarked, walking up to the observer.

"Two empty graves, why?" The observer asked turning to look at Walter.

"What do you mean?"

"This grave and the one in Maryland, they bear the names of the agents but do not hold their bodies." The observer explained. "Give these to Temperance and Peter." He said handing Walter two envelopes.

"What do you mean?" Walter repeated looking up from the envelopes to see that the bald man had seemingly vanished.

"I'm going to kill Walter." Peter groused from his spot in the backseat of Astrid's car, Brennan sitting in the front. "He isn't supposed to take the car, especially by himself."

"Why do you treat him like a child?" Brennan asked turning in her seat to look at him.

"Because he practically is a child." He grumbled.

"Walter was institutionalized for a good chunk of his life; he's still adjusting to being out of the hospital." Astrid explained.

"Oh." Brennan replied not really sure how to respond to that news so instead, just opting to get out of the car once they pulled up outside the lab.

"Walter, what have I told you about taking the…"Peter trailed off when he noticed the lab was empty. " Walter, are you here?" He called out.

"I'm right here son." Walter said coming in behind them with the envelopes clutched in his hands.

"Where have you been?"

"Walking, I went for a walk." Walter stated and held out the envelopes to both Peter and Brennan. "I was told to give you these from my friend."

"Your friend?" Peter asked slowly.

"Yes, the bald one."Walter nodded. "He wanted me to give those to you."

"What is it?" Brennan asked tentatively.

"I don't know."

Peter looked at Brennan and then at the envelope, opening it and pulling out a picture that made his hear stutter. The picture depicted a woman with brown hair and bright blue eyes but there was no denying it. It was Olivia. Once his heart seemed to be working again, he looked at Brennan who had tears in her eyes, holding a picture of Booth.

"They're alive." Peter voiced to the still room. While looking at the picture, his fingers grazed over something on the back, turning the picture over he felt as if he would be sick once his eyes landed on the writing there, written in what appeared to be blood.

"What does it say?" Astrid asked walking over to him.

"She'll be safer dead."

"Does yours have a message too?" Walter asked looking at Brennan.

"Yes." She nodded, showing them almost the same message on the back of her picture.

"If they're alive then Broyles must know about it." Peter stated angrily.

"Director Cullen would know too. He did the last time that Booth faked his death." Brennan softly replied. "I didn't think he would ever do this again."

"I didn't think Olivia would ever do this at all." Peter pointed out, feeling betrayed. He had always thought that they had a strong bond or trust between them, so why would she lie to him about something like this? Why would she let him think that she was dead when she wasn't?

"Booth didn't have a choice the first time." Brennan pointed out seeing the look on his face and recognizing it as the hurt that she had felt at Booth's first fake death. "Cullen made him in order to solve the case. If the killer knew that Booth was alive then the case might still be open."

"So you're saying that Olivia might not have had a choice?"

"Yes." She nodded matter of fact.

"I need to talk with Broyles." Peter practically snarled and stormed out of the lab leaving the rest in his wake.

"Well then get some agents down there. Yes, yes and I want status reports hourly." Broyles said hanging up the phone just as his door burst open and a fuming Peter strode in.

"Where is she?" He asked in place of a greeting.

"Excuse me?"

"Where is Olivia?" He asked in a lethally low voice, slapping the picture down on Broyles desk and glaring at him. Broyles took one look at the picture before getting up and closing both the door and blinds.

"Where did you get that?" He demanded.

"The observer gave it to Walter to give to me. There's a picture of agent Booth as well. Dr. Brennan has that picture. Now are you going to answer my question?"

"No." Broyles flatly stated. "You shouldn't even be aware that she's alive, you don't need to know where she is."

"Really because the back of this picture tells me that I do in fact need to know where she is."Peter spat out, flipping the picture over and Watching Broyles pale as far as his dark skin would allow.

"That's their new safe house."

"New safe house, what happened to the last?"

"There was an incident." Broyles mumbled without much thought. He pulled his phone open and dialed a number. "I need to speak with Director Cullen. No it can't wait."

"What is going on?" Peter begged to know only for the older man to hold up his hand in silence.

"Yes director Cullen, it's agent Broyles, we have a problem."


	13. O7

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* * *

Brennan was a whirlwind of emotions inside and it took a lot of effort for them not to be reflected on her face. Lucky for her Peter was very distracted with the news of his partner being alive and Walter had never given her more than a passing glance.

Booth was alive.

Booth _is _alive! She was going to kill him when she saw him again. Anger washed over her but then her stomach dropped and she felt her heart stutter. She missed him so much and knowing he was alive just made the ache even stronger. She needed to see him now more than ever.

"Agent Broyles, are we going to go see them now?" She asked, stealing the agent's attention from the phone, but he only shook his head for an answer and kept talking on the phone. Brennan frowned at him and felt the storm in her brewing up to epic proportions. Snatching his phone from him, she shut it and handed it back to him. "We're going to see Booth, and if you don't take me to him right now I start searching on my own and I know that will ruin this case." She glared daggers at Broyles and she watched as he turned to a dangerous looking man that most people would run from, but she wasn't most people.

Brennan could feel the shocked glances she was getting from Peter and Walter.

"I agree. Take us to them now." Peter said, stepping up beside her to face Broyles. After a minute of silence where everyone just glared, Broyles sighed and looked like he wanted to roll his eyes at them.

"We can't; not until tomorrow." Broyles said.

"Why-" She started but the agent cut her off.

"Because arrangements need to be made, but you should know that drawing attention to their safe house will only put them back in danger." Broyles said, glancing between the two. Brennan almost squirmed under his stare, as if he were already accusing her of getting her partner killed because they weren't solving the case fast enough.

"How is she?" Peter asked from beside her. His voice was almost tentative but he kept his voice steady.

Broyles sighed almost sadly. "She's healing, but she's got to stop trying to do everything and stay still long enough to finish healing."

Peter almost choked on a laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like her alright."

"And Booth?" Brennan couldn't stop herself from asking.

"He's fine, Dr. Brennan. Just restless." Broyles answered. "Dr. Brennan, both Director Cullen and I agree that you should stay with the Bishop's tonight. For now, we cannot guarantee your safety if you remain at the hotel. It's only a temporary situation and we'll be reevaluating it again tomorrow before we meet up with Dunham and Booth."

Brennan grudgingly agreed.

"Good. Agents Michaels and Harrington will escort you to your hotel to collect your things but from there you, Peter, and Walter are only allowed from the lab to the Bishop residence and with an escort. Do I make myself clear?" Broyles said, looking like he was daring one of them to argue but Brennan surmised it was probably useless.

*Later that Night*

Brennan was shuffling through site pictures, trying to get a new angle of how the body was disposed, hoping it would give her insight to who he was and how he got to be there, but her mind kept constantly wondering to Booth and what he was doing. She'd seen a picture of agent Dunham and she was clearly his type; blonde, smart, and very pretty. She wanted to ask Peter if she was seeing anyone, but there was no easy way to go about it without him making assumptions. Peter fixed that for her though.

"So, this Booth guy… are you two an item?" He asked cautiously, only meeting her eyes at first but then looking away as if embarrassed.

"An item? Like a clock or shoe?" Brennan asked, clearly confused. He gave her a bewildered look before shaking his head.

"Like a romantic relationship." He deadpanned.

"Oh… oh! Uhhh, no. We're partners and best friends, anything more would just be…" She paused looking for the right word. "Inappropriate. Why are you interested in me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No! I mean… no. You're ummm, beautiful and all, but you're not my type." Peter said, rubbing the back of his neck in what looked like a nervous gesture.

"Let me guess, blonde, witty, and beautiful?" Brennan said with a touch of sarcasm; Booth would've been proud. Peter blushed a bit and almost looked sheepish.

"How'd you guess?" He quipped back dryly.

Brennan sighed and returned to her pictures. "Because that's Booth's type as well." She couldn't hide the hint of sadness in her voice and demeanor. When she didn't get any response at all she looked up to see Peter pale as a sheet and looking rather defeated.

"Booth's her type as well. All good guy, tough, and built like some human Adonis." Peter said and she watched as he fisted his hands at his side. She didn't have to ask who 'she' was.

Brennan felt her chest ache at the thought of Booth and the blonde agent getting cozy in their shared house; spending hours chatting over coffee and eating pie. She probably even liked pie and steak. She swallowed down the panic that was rising in her. These thoughts were irrational at best and would do her no good. She needed to focus on the case so she and Booth could return to being partners and putting away the bad guys. So what if he became romantically interested in this other agent. She had told him that he should move on from her because she wasn't going to ever be the type of woman who could love him as much he claimed to love her.

When she looked up, Peter was sitting across from her staring intently at the picture his father had given him earlier. She'd seen a similar look in Booth's eyes when he looked at her and her mind leapt to a conclusion that she could make only because of Booth.

"You love her." Her voice was soft and tentative. His head shot up and he stared at her in shock.

"It's funny, but we've been partners for over a year now and she's never noticed but you and I have spent two weeks together and you've figured it out. She's a detective! And she never saw." His voice, at first mocking was now sad. "I'm just glad she's alive."

Brennan wasn't sure what to say. She was sure Angela or Booth would know what to say or do in this situation, but she had no idea. _Offer up a piece of yourself_. That sage old advice from five and a half years ago.

"I too have feelings for my partner," she admitted and once she'd said it aloud she knew it for the truth. "But it doesn't matter." Brennan left it at that. She stood and without another word and made her way up to the spare bedroom that she had left her bag in. After mindlessly going through her evening routine Brennan climbed into the single bed and curled into a ball, hugging the blanket close to her body and she let herself think of Booth and the moments they'd shared.

All the guy hugs, the tokens that said he understood her – Jasper, Brainy and even the Christmas tree even though she'd tried her hardest to forget Christmas all together. She ached all over to see him and to receive one more of his guy hugs. Then she thought of his kisses and felt herself melt into the bed and her blood rush faster through her body. There was no denying she wanted Booth and that he was an important person in her life, but she couldn't change.

She just couldn't.


	14. A7

Please read and review. If you are enjoying this and like the other fics that Oranfly and I have done together then please check out our latest called "Tears of glass"  


* * *

Nervous anticipation rang through Peter's veins as he paced across his bedroom. He had been told that since this was his first time going through a faked death that he would be the first to visit his partner, he would be able to see her again and that thought is what had led to the pacing, his mind was racing too fast for him to sleep or to sit for that matter. He had way too many things to think about. Would she be angry that they found out that she and Booth are alive? Would she be happy to see him? But the two things that were tugging on his mind the most where if she was really okay and if there was anything going on between her and the chiseled agent.

"She's his type."

Those words just wouldn't leave his head no matter how hard he tried to push them out, rip them up and then set fire to them. He loved her, but she had no way of knowing that so it would only make sense for her to seek comfort in the other agent. He could only wish that she hadn't.

"Peter, the car is here!" Astrid called up the stairs pulling him from his thoughts.

Throwing on a pair of shoes, he slowly made his way out of his room and down the stairs where he could see Broyles and another agent. His feet felt like lead, his mind still racing and both his heart and stomach doing contorted summersaults when he walked out the front door and got into the car.

"We're going straight to the safe house, so you are expected to do exactly as you are told." Broyles stated in a tone that was nothing but pure seriousness.

"Okay." Peter managed to get out, feeling sick to his stomach. Broyles must have noticed the nerves and the pale coloring to Peter's skin because instead of giving more instructions right then and there like he normally would, he held back and turned around in his seat while the car pulled away.

"Where are they staying?"

"It's a small house." Broyles said, refusing to say anything else about their location.

Peter gave him a leveled look before shrugging slightly and sitting back in his seat watching the houses pass by the window. He felt about ready to vomit with both nerves and excitement, but swallowed down the bile that had started to build and tried to clear his mind only half way succeeding when the car pulled up outside the tiniest place he had ever seen. The place couldn't have been any bigger than the room that he and Walter had shared at the hotel and looked to be in worse shape than that room ever thought of being in.

"This is a safe house? It looks like it's about to collapse in on itself." He pointed out, looking at the structure from top to bottom. He didn't picture Broyles as someone that would stick anyone in this house not to mention people he was supposed to be keeping safe.

"The last place was larger but after the shooting we had to move them to the only place available." Broyles explained and noticed Peter pale even more at the mention of a shooting. "They are both fine."

"They got shot at?"

"Peter, like I said they are fine." Broyles said in a flat voice. "Now you can get out of the car but do not draw attention to yourself. Agent's Dunham and Booth have not been made aware of your visit, so it is best not to startle them."

"Yes sir."Peter weakly remarked, opening his door and slowly stepping out onto the side walk. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he looked to an agent who ushered him inside.

"Booth, Dunham, if the two of you would come down to the kitchen." Broyles called up the stairs where he could just see Booth lying on the bed with a comic open and Olivia sitting on the floor, her own book open in front of her. They both put their books down and looked at each other in curiosity before carefully walking down the stairs coming face to face with the small group.

"Peter?" Olivia gasped when she laid eyes on him.

"Hi." He answered not sure what to do. Does he hug her, hold her, or just stand there? Olivia quickly answered that for him when she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle taking him by surprise. Peter's mind eventually kicked in and he wrapped his arms around her, loving the feel of her in his arms, very much alive which was a stark contrast to the last time he had held her, trying to stop the blood.

"Is bones here?" A man, presumably Booth asked looking around them.

"Dr. Brennan will be brought here tomorrow." Broyles explained.

"How did you find out that we're alive?" Olivia asked, reluctantly pulling away from Peter.

"An observer gave Walter pictures of the two of you. You look different, your hair and eyes are different." He pointed out, upset to see her blond hair and green eyes gone but also thrilled that the other agent hadn't seen her like that.

"It's to disguise me. Booth didn't have to go through anything since he's states away from where he was injured." Olivia shrugged. "My hair will change back eventually and I'm just using contacts right now."

"How angry is bones?" Booth asked, not wanting to ask too much since Peter and Olivia had just met up again and should be given their space, but not being able to stop himself from asking about his partner.

"She doesn't seem angry." Peter said pulling Olivia closer to him again and seeing the small smile on Booth's face which did little to qualm Peter's concerns about Olivia haven't sought comfort from the man. "She's happy that you are alive and eager to see you."

"Thanks, the first time I did the whole faked death thing she nearly knocked me out." Booth admitted. "How about you go upstairs, I'll stay down here?"

Olivia nodded. It was just the three of them in the house at the moment, Broyles and the agent having gone outside, but she really liked the idea of just spending time with Peter. She pulled from his grasp gently and leading him up the rickety stairs and seeing a look pass across his face when he realized that there was only one bed.

"Not exactly comfortable but we haven't had much of a choice. The floors are pretty bad and the chairs are too small." She reasoned to him not really sure why she was doing so.

"So you've been sharing a bed?" He asked trying to keep his voice level but feeling anger bubble up.

"Well neither of us felt like falling through the floor, so yeah, why are you so interested?"

"Nothing, just, are you okay?" He asked looking her over for the first time and seeing that she looked healthy but tired.

"I'm fine Peter." She responded with her usual line.

"Can I see?" He asked after a few moments of silence had stretched. "The bullet wounds." He clarified when he got an odd look.

"Um, yeah, sure." She stuttered, pulling up her shirt slowly to just above the wounds.

"Jesus Livia!" He exclaimed when he saw the inflamed skin around the wound that had been re-opened not too long ago. The other one looking like it was starting to heal.

"We were shot at, Booth pushed me to the ground and it opened up again." She explained, seeing the way his eyes seemed to flare at Booths' name.

Peter took a shaky breath and reached out, gently touching his fingers to the swollen skin, feeling the stitches below them. He heard her suck in a breath at the sudden, unexpected contact, but she didn't pull away like he thought she would. He let his gaze linger on the marred flesh for a moment more before lifting his eyes to hers.

"I wish this never happened."

"Me too, but it did." She nodded.

"Liv, when you…"

"Peter, we have to go!" Broyles voice called up the stairs.

"I have to go I guess." He remarked flatly, not wanting to leave her so soon but knowing that it was to keep her safe. "I'll see you later?"

"Yes." She smiled, letting him pull her into a gentle hug. "Peter?" She called as he started to descend the stairs.

"Yes?"

"What were you going to say?"

"It doesn't matter. Stay safe."

"I will." She promised, feeling her heart drop when he walked out of the house and left.


	15. O8

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* * *

Olivia watched as Peter left out the front door after Broyles and it was like her heart was walking out that door as well. He glanced back once and gave her a weak smile and soulful eyes as if he was trying to give her a voiceless message. Olivia bit her lip and stared down at him from the stairs with a look that probably spoke volumes as to how sad she was to see him go so soon, but Broyles had promised that they would see each other again soon enough. When the door was shut, Olivia couldn't stop herself from running back up the stairs and parting the curtains to watch him get in the car and then drive off. She fought back the feeling of utter despair and straightened her shoulders. She turned back toward the bedroom door only to discover that Booth stood in it giving her one of his patented concerned looks. Olivia rolled her eyes and moved to walk around him, but he shot a hand out to gently stop her.

"Did you tell him?" He asked.

"Tell him what?" She asked keeping her voice from shaking and considering how emotional she was at the moment, she thought she deserved a medal of honor.

"Umm, maybe that you love him?" Booth said with eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, we had all of ten minutes, maybe, and I'm supposed to dump that burden on him?" Olivia said with a scowl. "I'm not telling him, probably not ever."

"Really? Because the look on his face said he suffered thinking you were dead." Booth said, turning toward her.

"We're partners and friends. He was there when I was shot and tried to save me." Olivia said pointing out the logical points running through her mind.

"No, the look on his face was that of a man in love, torn between happiness to see you alive and sorrow at seeing you so changed." Booth said softly, trying to get her to believe.

Olivia wanted to believe him, but she couldn't afford to if he was wrong. Their partnership was on the line and she wasn't about to ruin that. Booth let her arm go, perhaps admitting temporary defeat, and she finished the last few steps to leave the room and go downstairs.

O/B/O/B

Brennan felt like a bird in a cage as she sat in the backseat of the undercover vehicle transporting her to her partner. Her hands, normally poised and calm, were ringing knots in the hem of her blouse. She still wasn't sure how to react when she saw him. He had promised her he'd never leave her and yet now they were apart; him with a beautiful agent and her with the most sarcastic man in the world and his insane father. They were making significant progress in getting along though. Peter was slowly prying her mind open to the irregularities of the field him and his father worked in. Having experienced firsthand some of the oddities it was getting harder to ignore that her normal concept of reality wasn't what she believed it to be.

The car finally pulled up to a rickety two story house with a very small looking footprint. The place looked as if it should have been declared a hazard and left for demolition but there was no doubt this was the house she was meant to enter as Broyles lead the way up stone path to the front door. He opened the door and stepped in and Brennan was quick to follow. Her eyes searched the run down looking place for her partner but came up with nothing until he turned a corner with a steaming mug in hand and they caught sight of each other.

"Bones…" His voice was deep and soft as if he didn't quite believe she was there before him. She gave him a timid wry smile as he set down his mug and made three long steps to and pulled her into his embrace.

"Hi Booth," She said softly, completely unsure of what to say to him. His deep chuckle reverberated through her body making deeper feelings erupt to life but she was quick to squash them back down. He pulled away and looked her over, searching for signs of what, she didn't know.

"You're okay." It was more of a sigh of relief than anything else.

"Shouldn't I be saying that?" She asked quizzically.

"How upset are you with me? I need to know." Booth said softly, searching her eyes for any sign of emotion.

"What do you think?" Brennan asked, taking a step back and crossing her arms across her torso.

"Bones…" Booth groaned, letting her feel how sad he was at having to leave her again.

"No. You broke a promise Booth – the most important one. Do you know why I'm still working this case?" Brennan asked, feeling the emotional duress creep into her voice. "Because I made a promise to your grave that I would continue your self prescribed duty to put away as many murderers than people you have killed during your time in the rangers. But you're not dead, you just left me behind again-"

Booth interrupted her by pulling her back into a hug and this time she didn't try to stop the tears that fell. He murmured into her hair assurances that made her body shake with both relief and sadness. How many times had she dreamt of just one more hug from him? She wasn't going to let this one go to waste and she squeezed him like he was her life jacket and she was thrown out to see.

A creaking floor board made them pull apart as Booth looked over her shoulder and she watched him smile through his sadness. Brennan turned to see a woman slightly shorter than herself standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking as if she was trying to be quiet but guilty at having been caught. Brennan eyed her suspiciously. She was as beautiful as Brennan had feared, with an athletic body and pleasant curves, that anthropologically speaking, were what men found ideal in a woman.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just needed to use the bathroom." She said already starting to walk around them before Booth stopped her.

"Liv, this is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan. Bones, this is agent Olivia Dunham." Booth said all charming smiles and shining eyes.

Olivia stuck out her hand to shake hers. "It's nice to finally meet the famous Bones that Seeley talks so much about."

Booth palmed Olivia's head and steered her back toward the bathroom. "Don't you have something else to do Dunham?" Olivia swatted at his hand playfully before walking to a closed door she assumed must be the bathroom.

"Anyways, it was nice meeting you. Tell Peter 'Hey' for me." She gave Booth a teasing smile and then disappeared behind the door.

Brennan couldn't help the raised eyebrow she gave Booth.

"What…?" He asked, confused at the face she must have been giving him.

"Nothing." She said, her voice empty of emotion.

"Dr. Brennan, we have to get going." Broyles said from the doorway that he must've just reentered. Brennan turned and nodded at him, but turned back to Booth.

"Booth, I can't promise that if you do this again I'll still be around. I – I'm not strong enough to do this again." Brennan whispered so only he could here.

Booth nodded and she watched as his eyes brimmed with tears. "I wouldn't blame you, Bones."

Brennan nodded and turned away from Booth, unable to watch his saddened face any longer. She was halfway down the path leading to the car when she spotted another car driving down the same road and the windows rolled down. Flashbacks to past drive by shootings made her freeze and turn to watch the car. And when she saw guns come into view and pull out the window she began the movement to crouch down and head back up the stairs and into the house. Gunfire rang through the air and Brennan looked up as she got a few steps closer to the door only to see Booth preparing to tackle her to the ground. She only had a moment to brace herself as his body pressed hers into the ground and he kept his weight above her to protect her. A few more shots sounded and then there were the screeches of tires picking up speed faster than they should and then only the sound of her heart beat and Booth's thudding through her ears and chest. He started to lift his weight up off her when he froze for a moment and then hauled her to her feet before dragging her toward the road at high speed. At the moment she looked back the house was engulfed with flames and then delayed boom echoed through her head as the force rushed at them and pushed them into the parked car. Darkness threatened to engulf her vision but Brennan fought it as Booth leaned over her, checking her eyes and calling her name. She blinked rapidly but her brain felt to numb to answer. When he realized that she was going to live he turned back to the house and ran up as close as he could get without burning himself on the flames.

"DUNHAM!" He shouted hoarsely. "DUNHAM?"

Brennan watched, dazed, as he ran to the side of the house and came back carrying a limp and filthy figure that must've been none other than agent Dunham. As he got closer she could see that the female agent was alive, if the steady rise and fall of her chest was any sign, but clearly unconscious. Booth set her down by Brennan and started searching through Brennan's jacket pocket.

"Wha?" She asked, half proud that she could say anything at the moment since her brain felt so fuzzy, but her question was soon answered when he pulled out her cell phone and began dialing. Trusting that Booth would take care of her, the darkness she'd been fighting off came back and this time she let it win.

The first time Brennan became aware of anything at all it was to discover that she was in a hospital bed. One glance to the left and she saw Booth asleep in a chair with his head resting on the edge of her bed. A glance to the right and she saw agent Dunham sitting mostly up in her bed staring back at Brennan with a knowing smirk; or was that part of her imagination? Then the darkness took her again. The next time she woke up to Booth arguing with Cullen and their voices were getting louder and louder. When Booth noticed that she was awake he immediately stepped to her side.

"Hey Bones, how are you feeling?" He asked, taking her hand in his.

"My brain is running a little slow, but it's getting better as we speak." She said cautiously as if mentally working out a fix as she spoke.

"That makes sense. You had a mild concussion from when your head hit the car. Just don't push yourself too fast." Booth said soothingly.

Brennan bit her lip and nodded slowly. "How's..." She pointed her thumb toward Olivia's bed.

"Dunham? Oh – she also had a concussion with a couple minor burns and she needed to get a gash in her forehead glued, but no stitches so she's happy." Booth said conversationally.

"What's going to happen now?" Brennan asked.

Booth glanced up at Cullen with a rather hard glare before answering. "We're getting a new safe house, except you, Peter, Dr. Bishop, and Astrid will be joining us. Whoever is behind all this knows you and the others are still working the case." Booth said, trying to avoid Cullen's stare before the superior sighed and pulled out his phone and left the room. "Everything is going to be okay now that I can keep an eye on you."

"Is that what you think?" Brennan scowled. "I don't need you to protect me, Booth."

"I know, I know, but it certainly doesn't hurt." Booth said, grinning at her seemingly childish outbreak. Cullen came back into the room at that point, snapping his cell phone shut.

"We're moving all of you out tonight during the hospital shift change. We'll move you two and agent Dunham in one car at eleven tonight, the Bishops at three tomorrow morning, and agent Farnsworth at five in the morning. It's important that we stagger the drop offs so as not draw attention to the location. You'll also be wearing disguises until you get to the location. Another agent will be by to drop off clothing items for your departure. Until then, none of you leave this room." Cullen said the last sentence sternly, eyeing up her and Booth for any sign of rebellion and looked almost surprised when none came. "Good. We'll be in touch."

He left the room leaving Brennan and Booth alone with a sleeping blonde agent.

"You should really get some sleep," Booth said. "We leave in five hours and I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."

Brennan narrowed her eyes at him, but then gave in when she could see how sincere he was being. "Alright, but you should too." Booth nodded and rested his head on the edge of her bed. Soon they were both asleep, with Brennan's hand resting in Booth's.


	16. A8

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It felt like he had just gotten to sleep when he felt a pair of strong hands shaking him back into consciousness. It only took his tired mind a second or two before he sprinted out of his bed and grabbed the closest thing, a lamp, and prepared to fight off whoever was in his room.

"Relax." Broyles voice then sounded in the room, confusing the hell out of Peter who slowly put the lamp back where it belonged. "There was an incident at the safe house, pack what you need so we can leave. Walter is getting stuff together with another agent as we speak."

"Wait, what happened at the safe house?" Peter asked but Broyles was already out of the room monitoring the progress of moving the two Bishop's out. Letting out a heavy and annoyed sigh, he started pulling his drawers open and stuffing clothes into a number of duffle bags that he noticed sitting on the floor that Broyles must have brought in. After his clothing, bedding and a few other items were shoved into the bags, he zipped them and started carrying them down the stairs were two agents took them from him and Broyles had him sit down on the couch beside an equally tired and annoyed Walter.

"During her visit, Dr. Brennan was targeted by a group of people that did a drive by and then set fire to the safe house somehow which resulted in an explosion. Everyone was taken from the house and brought to the hospital. They are all doing well and have been relocated to another safe house, this one considerably larger since the two of you and agent Farnsworth will be living with them as well for the duration of this case. There are some very strict rules that are going to be put into place once everyone arrives at your new home. These rules will be followed, if they are broken even once, you will be removed from the home and separated from the others to help ensure their safety along with yours. You are to wear these." Broyles gestured to a few items which included sun glasses, hats and clothing that neither of them would ever even think of wearing.

Peter grabbed the clothes that Broyles handed to him and went into his room to get changed. It wasn't until he started unfolding everything that he felt his jaw drop. _You've got to be kidding me _ he thought when the first thing he unfolded was a pair of rather tight looking leather pants with a black AC/DC t-shirt to match. Groaning, he slipped the shirt on before practically having to pour himself into the pants, finding that they fit better than he thought they would. Next on was a pair of heeled black boots and a black ball cap with aviator sunglasses. After he was dressed, he walked out into the hallway and burst into laughter when he saw what Walter was wearing.

The other man was sporting an extremely bright Hawaiian t-shirt with a pair of tan shorts and bright blue flip flops. On his head was a straw hat and he was wearing similar sunglasses as Peter. After his laughter had subsided he noticed that Walter had an equally amused look on his face at what Peter was wearing. They both looked each other over again before simultaneously shrugging and heading down the stairs and seeing a spark of amusement in Broyles eyes before they went back to their normal cool detachment and he led them out one at a time to the waiting car.

W/A/B/O/B/P

Massive, there was no other word to describe the house that they pulled up to. It was a charcoal gray, four story house that was maybe fifty feet from the ocean. There was a porch out front that supported a balcony above it and to the side of that were two more balconies with a set of stairs leading down to the shore. The house looked like it could all of their homes into it with room to spare.

"Hurry along now." One of the agents said ushering them through the dark that was illuminated by a few street lights. Peter looked at him for a second before nodding and quickly making his way into the house where he shed that hat and sunglasses and looked around. The first floor was open with just a few arch ways strategically placed. There was a large living area along with a massive kitchen, den, bathroom, rec-room, and a few more doors leading off from the rooms that were closed. There was a set of sprawling stairs with cherry wood banisters and steps that stood off to the side of the living room. He saw the agents brining their stuff up the stairs and opted to follow since none of the others were down on the first floor that he could see. He made his way up to the second floor and then to the third where the agent finally stopped and opened a door gesturing to him to go in first.

The room, like everything else, was huge. It consisted of a queen size four poster bed, a large bureau and closet, a few very expensive looking bookcases, a night stand that would make his bureau at home look like a tinker toy, and a glass coffee table that sat in the middle of the room. He took his stuff from the agent who then left and just dropped it on the floor more interested in finding Olivia than anything else. He started opening door and looking into room in hopes of finding her. It wasn't until he got to the last room on the third floor that he found her. He was about to enter when he felt a hand pull him back and he came face to face with Booth.

"You're not stopping me from seeing her." Peter spat not in the mood to deal with the other man who looked startled by the aggression in Peter's voice.

"I'm not trying to. I just figured that you might want to know that she got hurt and has a gash on her forehead. She's been asleep for about an hour and needs to be woken up soon. She and Bones both got concussions' when the house blew up. I've been making sure to wake them up every now and then." Booth explained, holding his hands up as if in defeat.

"Thanks." Peter replied softly, pushing past the taller man and into the room, closing the door behind him. He could see Olivia asleep in the middle of the bed and caught sight of the bruised cash on her head that had been glued shut. It would no doubt leave a scar. He sat on the bed beside her and gently shook her awake, watching her eyes blink open and start to focus. She took in her surroundings before she turned her head and her eyes locked with his.

"Peter?"

"Hi there." He smiled, reaching out and tracing his finger over the sealed gash, feeling the bump of swelling under his fingertip. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine Peter." She remarked, pushing herself up into a sitting position. "Where is Walter, and what are you wearing?"

Peter chuckled and shook his head. "Walter is somewhere in the house and what you don't like leather?"

"I never thought I would see if on you." She admitted a blush creeping over her face, making her glad that it was so dark in the room.

"Well there is a first time for everything sweetheart." Peter smirked smiling at her before turning his attention to the door that had just opened a crack to reveal Brennan.

"Broyles wants us down stairs." She said, disappearing just as fast as she had appeared.

Peter stood up and offered Olivia his hand which she took allowing him to pull her up and then into his arms, holding her tightly to him for a few seconds before pulling away.

"I'm glad you're okay Livia." He said, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Me too." She admitted and walked past him and they headed down stairs.

P/O/W-B/A/B

Astrid shuffled her way into the house followed by the same agents that had moved the rest in and saw everyone walking down the stairs, Peter and Walter still dressed the way that they had shown up in. Olivia, Booth and Bones had already changed from their disguises into pajamas. She was dressed in a light purple flowered shirt with a pair of jean shorts; her hair was pulled back tightly and covered with a hat, a pair of her own sunglasses on.

"Take a seat." Broyles said to the crowd of people that had come into the room. Once everyone was settled he cleared his throat and looked around at them all. "There are rules that will be followed. You are to never open the curtains or blinds; you are to never leave the house unless I tell you that you can. You are to never make enough noise to draw attention to yourselves or the house. Only a few lights will be permitted at any given time. The only time you can go outside is at night when it is dark and you will have cover, and the internet will only be used for work related subjects. Violation of these rules will result in one or more of you being removed from the home and put into a separate safe house. Do you understand?" He asked looking around at them and seeing them all nod in understanding. "Good, now try and get some sleep. I will check up on you every now and then to get the newest information that you come up with about the case."

Everyone watched him leave before turning to each other with mixed looks of tiredness, annoyance and aggravation.

"I'm going to bed." Astrid announced, grabbing her stuff and making her way up the stairs in search of an empty room, the other five already taken. Walter soon followed suit and headed to his own room leaving just Olivia, Brennan, Peter and Booth behind in an awkward silence that was only broken by Brennan nearly falling to the floor as she tried to stay awake.

"Come on Bones; let's get you back to bed." Booth said, grabbing his partner's shoulders and steering her to and up the stairs. He brought her to her room and opened the door, pushing her inside and to the bed, her eyes drooping humorously.

"Booth, I'm not a child." She protested when he went to tuck her in.

"I know, but right now you're really tired, so please just let me help."

"Fine." She huffed and sucked in a breath when his lips grazed her forehead before he stood up and walked to the door.

"Get some sleep, I'll wake you soon." He said and closed the door, walking out into the hall and seeing Peter and Olivia heading up to the next floor. Peter soon came back down and looked stares with Booth before brushing past him and heading down the stairs leaving Booth to smirk in an understanding way. There was no doubt in his mind, Peter was in love Olivia.


	17. O9

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Olivia woke of her own accord and glanced at the digital clock beside the unfamiliar bed to discover it was nine in the morning. As tired as she was she didn't want t spend another minute in the bed then she had to. She was tired of resting, though Peter was sure to wake her up every hour much to her annoyance and it explained why she still felt tired. Olivia didn't want to think about how many times he had seen her with her defenses down in sleep mode or what if she drooled or snored? Groaning out loud at her potential embarrassment, Olivia maneuvered herself out of bed, very aware of how awkward her body felt since everything ached. She bit down on her lip to keep from whimpering as she got dressed with painstaking slowness. Thinking of only comfort for the day she chose a pair of knee length jean shorts and an old college t-shirt that had the sleeves torn off. Knowing her hair was probably a disaster and not wanting to move anymore than she had to at the moment; she tied her hair up into a hasty bun and sighed in relief when her arms dropped to her sides again. Her first mission of the day was to find some pain killers.

Walking to the stairs got easier with every step, but once she arrive to the top of the steps and looked down she began to wonder how it was that she made it up three flights of stairs last night and now she had to go _down _them. Gasping on explicit curses with each step she made it down to the ground floor and wanted to cry at the distance to the kitchen. _Why the hell was this house so freaking big?_ Olivia thought passionately. She almost missed the last place that with one step got her into another room. She breathed in a long sigh and caught the scent of fresh coffee and from there the distance was a blur as she followed her nose to the kitchen. Upon entering the largest kitchen she had ever seen in her life she saw Booth leaning up against the counter dressed only in pajama pants, sipping a freshly brewed cup of heaven. They looked at each other and Olivia only raised an eyebrow at his current state of undress. Yes, she was a woman, and he was very well put together and muscular, but her tastes ran to the slightly scruffy genius type these days.

"Where are the mugs?" She asked, eyeing up the coffee.

Booth set his mug down and moved a few feet before reaching up to a cabinet and selecting a blue mug for her to use.

"Thanks," she murmured and took the cup from him, making a beeline for the coffee pot.

"The others are still asleep, but I thought it might be a nice gesture to cook everyone breakfast. You interested?" Booth asked, taking another sip of his mug.

Olivia smirked at him and nodded. "I should warn you that my expertise for breakfast goes as far as cereal and toast."

Booth chuckled, "then lucky for you I'm a very patient teacher."

They ended up with the menu of pancakes, eggs, Olivia's specialty of toast, and bacon. Much to both of their delight, Olivia was not as bad off as she had originally thought and she was good at making the eggs and bacon. However, flipping pancakes was a totally different story. After destroying three pancakes, Booth patiently stood behind her and wrapped his hand around hers on the spatula.

"Just gently slide the spatula at a sharp angle to catch the edge and then ease up on the angle and slide it under." He helped her go through the motion. "Then we lift, and quickly – but smoothly, flip the wrist and it drops onto the pan. Just like that!" They'd executed a perfect flip and Olivia did a mental celebration dance at finally having gotten it, even if she did need help.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Olivia and Booth both turned in their spot to see Peter, leaning casually leaning against the frame of the kitchen entrance wearing a pair of jeans and an undershirt with a blue button shirt thrown over but left open. The look on his face was dark but straight so as not to give anything away.

Booth stepped away from her, not realizing how close they had gotten while flipping the pancakes.

"Hey, ummm, coffee?" Booth asked, stepping over to the cupboard with the mugs in it and pulled out a dark green one and held it out to him in a quasi-peace offering. Peter leered at him before taking the mug from the agent and Olivia watched all of it with a large dose of confusion.

Peter stepped up beside Olivia as that was where the coffee machine was and pointedly ignored she was even there.

"Good morning, Peter." Olivia said calmly, staring at him. He only grunted in response and poured his coffee. She sighed in defeat and moved to flip the next pancake. Trying to block out all distractions she focused solely on the pancake and followed Booth's prior instructions. She must've flinched though because she caught Peter moving out of the corner of her eye and the pancake fell with a splat to the floor.

"Shit! That's the fourth one!" Olivia growled. "I give up. I'm clearly not meant to ever make pancakes. There all yours, Seeley." Needing the space, Olivia marched to the back screened in room and sat on cushioned bench and curled her knees up to her chest. Why did he have to be such an _ass _sometimes. She had no doubt he was pissed at her but she had no idea why and she doubted he'd be forth coming on what it is she did to deserve the cold shoulder. To her surprise, Peter did come out to her hiding place.

"May I join you?" He asked, already sounding apologetic. Olivia nodded, but didn't have the strength to look at him yet. "I'm sorry I'm so crabby this morning." Olivia snorted and laughed dryly.

"Crabby?" She finally glanced at him but then stared back out toward where she knew the ocean was, but couldn't see because of the closed drapes.

"Livia, please. The last few days have been an emotional rollercoaster. I went from thinking you were dead to seeing you in the flesh but looking so changed then you got a new partner on me and you almost died in an explosion." Peter explained.

"New partner?" Olivia asked, confused.

"Yeah, agent Muscles back there." He gestured with a nod of his head.

"Booth?" Olivia asked and Peter nodded in confirmation looking rather miserable. "Peter, Booth isn't my partner – not even temporarily. How could I ever replace the best partner I've ever had?" She made sure to maintain eye contact as she said it so he would know she was talking about him.

"How many partners have you had really?" Peter said grinning stupidly. Olivia chuckled at that and smiled at him.

"Enough…" She said cryptically.

"Well you're the best partner I've ever had as well," Peter said cheekily. Olivia slugged him in the shoulder and laughed.

"I'm the only partner you've ever had!" She said laughing heartily.

Peter caught her hand in his and she stilled almost instantly, already feeling her stomach do summersaults and other acrobatics. He looked so serious all of a sudden and openly searched her face as if she were a puzzle.

"You got too close to being the only partner I've ever had. I don't want to lose you on a technicality." He brushed his lips across her bare knuckles and Olivia's eyes widened and she sucked in a soft breath. He met her shocked gaze and then got up and left her alone. When he was gone, Olivia let out a shaky breath and let her defenses completely fall. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and she was beginning to feel a little light headed. _Damn that man and the effect he had on her!_ Olivia thought trying to build up her tough agent façade again before she went to join everyone for breakfast.


	18. A9

Sorry for the delay in updating. I'm in my finals week for college(i go year round) and have been focusing more on that.

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It took less than a day for them to realize that everyone living together under the same roof wasn't going to be easy, not even in a house the size of the one they were currently stuck in. Though the place was massive to say the least, it did very little in keeping them apart from each other. There were so many twisting hallways and doors that you could go up to the second floor, open a door and end up back on the first. There had been several times just in the past hour where Walter had burst through a doorway which resulted in someone getting smacked with said door. Peter and Astrid were both walking around with rather impressive bruises to show. Olivia had opted to stay away from any room that had a door and had consequently been grounded to the main level where every room was connected by an archway. Bones had also decided to avoid them, only trusting that a door wouldn't fly out at her, by tapping it with the end of a broom handle. And in the rare moments where Walter wasn't maiming anyone, he was taking up one of the bathrooms for a bath that was likely to last anywhere from 1-5 hours, depending on his mood. Why a house this size only had two bathrooms, Booth would never understand.

And if the doorways and bathrooms weren't an issue, Peter was still giving him the cold shoulder which was mimicked in full by Bones who was also refusing to say anything to him that exceeded more than three words at a time. Now Peter he could completely understand, his gorgeous partner, whom he was in love with, was caught standing awfully close to another man. But Bones, why was she ignoring him? Yeah she was more than likely pissed off at him but at least she would talk to him the last time he did this. Olivia also seemed a little off around him now after being caught by Peter. Though it wasn't really like they were doing anything bad or inappropriate, nor would he ever. Olivia had to be at least 4 years younger than him, and though she was more of an annoyance at first, she had come to be like a kid sister to him. He felt compelled to care for her and if teaching her to cook that morning was what she needed, then he was sure as hell going to do it. And if that bothered Peter, than he just had to man up and admit it, and just tell the girl he loved her for Christ sake.

Rubbing his hands over his tired eyes, he sighed heavily and looked around his new bedroom. Each room looked almost exactly the same and was actually rather dull for such an expensive house. The walls were an off white and the floors were a light tan. Each room had a bureau, closet, large four poster bed with red sheets, a glass coffee table, a desk and a book case. As for the rest of the house, there were hardly any pictures on the walls, just one television which was down stairs, something that hadn't been turned on since no one could agree on one channel and dozens of old, rather thick books. Bones and Peter had immersed themselves in said books; Walter spent most of his time in the bathroom taking his marathon tubs, Astrid could be seen writing in a journal almost constantly, Olivia would mainly just curl up in a chair and stare off into space while he, Booth, would try and strike up a conversation with someone, anyone, and almost always get shot down.

"Come on guys there has to be something that we can all do." He groaned, getting everyone's attention, if only for a moment.

"I like monopoly." Walter stated coming out of the bathroom.

"Does this place even have any games?" Astrid asked closing her notebook.

"Probably in a cupboard." Olivia shrugged.

"Easier said than done." Peter stated, waving his hand around, indicating the numerous cupboards that ranged in size from tiny to big enough to fit them all in comfortably.

"Well if we split up we should be able to find something." Brennan hypothesized.

"It's better than just sitting around." Astrid agreed.

"As long as Walter stays away from doors." Peter pointed out, rubbing his bruised nose.

"I said I was sorry."

"Fine, well there are six of us so how about Walter and Astrid look down here, Peter and Olivia head up to the second floor and Bones and I will go to the third? If no one finds anything then we head to the basement, fourth floor and attic?" Booth asked getting slow and somewhat reluctant nods from everyone. "Alright, let's go then."

Everybody got up from their respective spots and started their searches. He watched Walter practically skip through the first floor, Astrid following closely behind him like a worried mother making him wonder just how much experience she had with dealing with the slightly insane man. He and Bones then passed Peter and Olivia who had started opening doors, virtually ignoring each other.

"So Bones how do you like the house?" He asked trying to get her into conversation.

"It's fine."

"How about the people that we are here with, working with?"

"They're fine."

"Come on Bones; give me something other than two words." He whined.

"What do you want me to say booth?" She snapped. "That I'm angry with you, that I feel betrayed? Because I am and I do, okay?"

"Bones, you know I wouldn't have done this again, I wouldn't have done this the first time if I had a say in it. Cullen is the one that decided to have this happen after I got hurt. Do you really think I wanted to be considered dead again? I know what it did to you, to Becca and to Parker. Hell my son still thinks I'm dead!"

"Booth I'm…"

"No Bones. You can be angry with me all you want, but you're not the only one that got hurt by this." He stated angrily and left quickly no longer very interested in doing much of anything.

FIGHT~FIGHT~FIGHT~FIGHT

"Where do you think someone would put games?" Olivia asked after having opened what must have been the twentieth cupboard to find it void of games.

All she got in response was a shrug and grunt of disinterest.

"Okay what is wrong with you?" She demanded, feeling anger bubble up.

"Nothing." He stated, opening another cupboard.

"Then why are you being an ass?"

"I'm not."

"Yeah sure, because ignoring me and giving me the cold shoulder for presumably no reason at all is normal, nice behavior for you." She stormed.

"Damn it Olivia!" He yelled. "I held you in my arms as you bled out and was told that you had died! For weeks I thought you were dead only to find out that you are alive and recovering! I went to your fucking funeral for Christ sakes! And now here you are standing in front of me wondering why I'm angry! While I was trying to get over your death you were off in some safe house doing god knows what with some muscled agent! You have no fucking clue what it's like to think that the person you're…You have no idea."

"Do you think I wanted this Peter? I got shot and wasn't allowed to tell anyone that I survived! Rachel, Ella, Walter, Astrid, you, as far as Broyles cared, you didn't need to know that I survived! My sister and my niece still think I'm dead! They both went through hell when I was in the car accident, I can't even begin to imagine what they are going through now! I wanted you to know! Broyles wouldn't allow it, it was to keep everyone safe and look at how well that worked!" Olivia yelled at him.

"I'm sorry."

"You know what Peter? I really don't care if you're sorry or not. I'm going back down stairs." She declared, spinning around quickly and storming through the house getting curious looks from Walter and Astrid who had managed to wrangle up some games and was pointedly ignored by Booth and Brennan who were both in separate parts of the living room, refusing to look at each other. She settled back into her chair and resumed her day dreaming while everyone else went back to doing what they had originally, with the exception of Walter and Astrid who sat down to a game of battle ship, their voices the only sound in the otherwise silent house.


	19. O10

Sorry for the delay in updating. I had finals.

Please read and review.

* * *

The central air was broken for good this time and even Peter with his mystical talent of fixing all things mechanical wasn't saving them until an agent could drop off the parts he needed to make it work again. So naturally the Hull area, even with the ocean so near, was experiencing a heat wave unlike any other in the past which left each member of the household sweaty and irritable. Walter had taken to locking himself into one of the bathrooms and taking long cold showers while the rest of them were left to fend for the last bathroom and taking turns finding sweet release from the steaming spell the house air had them under. The men, sans Walter, had taken to walking around in just shorts, forgoing shirts all together and the women were getting as close to nothing as they could and still keep their pride and wore swimsuit tops with the shortest shorts they each had in their wardrobe.

Determined to not spend another day wasting away in the living room, Olivia took to exploring her surroundings with a new vigor, especially since Peter had taken to leaving the room whenever she was in it. Before he'd just ignore her or she'd catch him staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking but then he'd turn away quickly or glare half heartedly. But today he would just up and leave if she entered a room he was in. She was finally at the top floor and was searching everywhere but in the bedrooms, as she didn't want to encroach on Astrid and Walter's privacy. She was about to call it quits when she noticed a rectangular trim in the ceiling with a little knob. Not even thinking twice about it, Olivia leapt up as high as she could and grabbed a hold of the knob and pulled down with all her weight letting a ladder slowly unfold in front of her. Unable to resist temptation she quickly scaled the ladder and found herself in a very humid and musty attic. She could hardly breathe through the heat but on the far side of the space she saw an old box fan. Olivia almost giggled in delight as she crawled over and through boxes to get to the new found treasure already thinking of locking herself in her room with this fan and keeping cool. Grabbing the fan she made her way back to the hatch and poked her head down to make sure the coast was clear. When she confirmed it was, she quietly snuck back down the ladder, balancing the fan in one hand and then shut the trap door behind her. She'd made it all the way to her room without anyone noticing her and she closed the door behind her and settled on hiding the fan in the closet until she could find something to bring up to her room to keep her occupied while she basked in her new found breeze.

Trying to fight her giddiness at her new discovery she entered the living room and went straight for the book shelf. She hardly noticed Peter was lying out on the couch until he shifted and started to get up to leave.

"You don't have to leave; I promise I'll be gone in five minutes." Olivia said dryly. She heard him sigh and relax back into the couch.

"I think there might've been a couple Sudoku books in the box the agents brought by earlier." Peter offered tentatively.

Olivia glanced back at him, eyes narrowed in suspicion and when she found that he was just trying to be helpful she nodded her thanks and left for the dining room where the box of stuff was generally left for everyone to pick through. Toward the bottom of the box she saw a couple puzzle books and smiled. Thinking that despite the silent drama and sweltering heat, the day was finally looking up, Olivia collected a couple bottles of cold water and her new found book and pencil and shut herself away in her room.

It wasn't until eight in the evening that a soft knock sounded on her bedroom door. Olivia leapt up from her sprawled position on the bed, but was too slow and the door creaked open with Peter poking his around the corner. He just stared dumbly at her in her bikini that she had unthinkingly put on since she was alone in her room.

"Ummmmm…" He continued to stare until Olivia grew self conscious.

"What did you want?" She asked, trying to distract him from the fan behind the door.

"You missed dinner and –" He paused and tilted his head sideways a bit. "Is that a fan?" He stepped fully into the room and quickly found the fan behind the door. "You've been holding out, Dunham! But now I think it's my turn." Smirking he reached for the plug and yanked, grabbing the fan and making a quick escape.

"Peter! That's my fan. I found it!" Olivia whined, careful not to be so loud as to alert the others of what loot she had found.

"Not anymore!" Peter called over his shoulder and made his way to his room. Not willing to give up, Olivia marched after him. He had been quick though and was already in his bedroom. Olivia stood in the doorway and put on her best dangerous face and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Peter, put the fan down and step away from it, or else…" She said with a low and serious voice.

"Or what? You'll _shoot_ me?" Peter chuckled. "You've already tried to do that, Sweetheart, and it didn't work."

"No, I won't shoot you, I was thinking of something much worse." She said mockingly.

"Worse than a bullet?" Peter smiled wickedly at her. "Well now I'm just curious."

He didn't have long to wait before Olivia launched herself at him and he just barely had time to turn his back to her before she latched onto him with her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her legs around his waist. Peter staggered under the force and weight of her and almost dropped the fan, but he held on tight as he twisted to try and remove her from his back.

"I don't have to hurt you if you just give up the fan, Bishop." Olivia threatened breathily from beside his head.

He gave a deep throated chuckle. "All you've done is add a little extra weight to me. What could you possibly do from my back?"

Olivia grinned wickedly before yanking solidly on his left ear making him half howl and stumble, dropping the fan to the ground and making his hands shoot up to try and wrench her off. He twisted and turned and even bent over to try and rid himself of her, but he was only partially successful when he stumbled onto the bed ad turned the table so that she was pinned beneath his weight and he had wrestled her hands to above her head. She glared daggers at him and writhed from beneath him until she stopped, panting for air.

"Like I was saying…" Peter grinned, but stopped short when she grinned in return and managed to flip their positions so he was pinned to the bed on his stomach and she on top of him with his arm wrenched behind his back.

"Swear you'll let me keep the fan," Olivia said still breathing hard from their wrestling match.

"Never!" Peter said, gasping for air. She lifted his arm up a bit making him call out. "Are you going to break my arm for a fan?"

"Just say it!" Olivia said. That's when she heard a deep chuckle coming from the doorway.

"I don't think you need him to say that he's your bitch," Booth teased and laughed when Peter growled and shifted violently to escape, almost knocking Olivia off him. "Hey, is that a fan?"

"No! That's my fan. I found it and I'm going to keep it." Olivia said, her voice rising in panic. She couldn't take two men. That's when Brennan walked in to see what the commotion was about.

"Is that a fan?" She gasped and made a beeline for it.

"Hey! I was fighting for the fan first!" Peter called out from beneath Olivia.

"How about we play a game for who gets to keep the fan for the night?" Booth reasoned, holding Brennan back from just stealing the fan. He glanced at each of them and Olivia finally let up on Peter who cradled his arm gingerly and sat up on the bed.

"What kind of game?" Peter asked cautiously.

"Well, one of the agents brought by a very large box of alcohol. We could do a drinking game," Booth offered with a smirk.

"That doesn't sound very fair…" Brennan reasoned. "Physically speaking, agent Dunham and I won't be able to consume nearly as much alcohol as you and Peter since we are smaller and lighter in body."

"Then how about we play teams? Bones and I versus Olivia and Peter." Booth offered.

"So, what? Whoever keeps their liquor down wins the fan?" Olivia asked, warming to the idea of finally relaxing.

"Kind of. After every two shots you have to pass a sobriety test. The team who passes the test after the most drinks, wins the fan." Booth said.

"Three spins and a straight line should do the trick." Olivia said helpfully.

"So is everyone in?" Booth asked, looking to Peter and Brennan who had yet to say anything about the game. Peter and Olivia shared a look and a wide grin.

_They had the fan in the bag_, Olivia thought to herself and must've projected something along those lines to Peter who nodded at her. Once they were all agreed that they would play, Olivia went back into her room to grab some shorts to throw over her bikini bottoms and then left to join the rest of them downstairs.

"Olivia should eat a snack or something before we start. She skipped dinner so she's at a disadvantage from the rest of us," Peter said, to all the world just sounding innocent and helpful, but Olivia knew he was just trying to increase their odds for winning the fan.

"Fair enough," Booth said, already reaching for a set of eight shot glasses and bring them to the table.

Brennan and Peter each brought over a couple bottles of whiskey. Olivia quickly ate a turkey sandwich that someone had obviously set aside for her and then washed it down with a few gulps of water. While Booth arranged the glasses and whiskey bottles, Brennan and Peter moved the long ottoman to the other side of the glass coffee table and across from the long couch. When they were all set up Booth and Brennan sat on the ottoman and Peter and Olivia took the couch. Each of them had two shot glasses filled with whiskey in front of them and two bottles in front of Peter and Booth so they could refill the glasses as needed. Booth raised his first glass I the air.

"Here's to bizarre cases that make no sense at all!" He smiled brightly all around and everyone lifted their glasses with either a chuckle or smile and a chorus of "cheers! Here ,here!" and of course Brennan's eye roll. They all threw the glasses back and downed the drink.

Brennan fought not to gasp at the burning that slid down her throat like liquid fire and she turned to grin at her partner. This was a game they were familiar with and would win.

"To putting away the bad guys!" Brennan cheered. And they all laughed and threw back their second shot.

"And now for the first round of spin and walk," Olivia said, already getting steadily to her feet. They moved a few feet away to a more open space so no one would trip over furniture.

"We should have opponents spinning each other so that there's no cheating and taking it too easy on your teammate." Booth said, snagging Olivia by the arm and gently pulling her over to the edge of the rectangular rug that lay between the dining room and living room. Brennan felt her stomach drop as she watched Booth gently squeeze Olivia's bare shoulders and spin her around. She glanced over at Peter and supposed that he had noticed as well since he was looking none too happy. When Olivia was done spinning, she easily walked the line and only hesitated once.

Peter motioned Brennan over to the corner of the rug and gave her a dry smirk. A smirk she had learned meant, what can we do? So he gently grasped her bare shoulders and did what Booth had done with Olivia and spun her. By the time she was done, the combination of swirling colors and a light giddiness took over and she giggled before finding the line and walking it without any hesitation. Booth and Peter also passed quite easily and soon they were all sitting back down for their second round of shots that Booth and Peter were already pouring.

"To the agent who gave us all this whiskey!" Peter cheered and once again they threw down another shot.

"To being alive and in good company," Olivia said, eyes glimmering at Booth. Silently everyone threw back the fourth shot of the evening.

All four passed the second round of spin and walk and tossed back another two shots each. The third round had Olivia walking the line slowly and a bit wobbly, Peter making it rather well, and same with Booth. Brennan however stumbled into Peter and caught herself with her hands on his bare chest just as they clunked heads after her spinning. She did not make the line that time. Peter peered over Brennan's shoulder as the female scientist laughed her heart out at falling into him and tried to share a look of triumph with Olivia but her brow was creased and when she caught his gaze she frowned and quickly looked away. Bewildered at what was going through her mind, Peter took his seat beside her and they all continued while Brennan watched as they each threw down two empty shot glasses each. This time getting up, Olivia began to tip into Peter and he caught her with one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist. He gave her a concerned look and Olivia stared at him with slightly hooded eyes. He turned her into the direction of the space they'd been using but leaned down to whisper huskily in her ear.

"We're almost done, 'Livia. I think one more round and he'll cave." Olivia shivered beneath his gentle touch and the feel of his breath on her bare neck and shoulder. She saw a very knowing smirk on Booth's face from the corner of her eye and fought not to jerk out of Peter's touch; she as enjoying ot way too much. Too everyone's surprise all three lasted another two rounds before Olivia stumbled and Peter was quick to catch her before she hit the floor. She blushed at the feeling of his arms around her bare waist and was relieved to know the alcohol had already brought a rosy tint to her cheeks prior to her error.

"Thanks," she mumbled into his bare chest. He set her carefully back on her feet and wouldn't step away until he was sure she wasn't going to fall. Olivia gave him a nod that she was fine and Peter took his turn, barely able to traverse the edge of the carpet. It was now Booth's turn and Olivia spun him around, barely aware of how she was standing at the moment let alone helping this man spin. Booth made it to the starting point and then a few steps before overcrossing one leg over the other and stumbling completely off the line but caching himself before he fell.

"Aw man!" He groaned and looked rather disappointed, but Olivia saw right through it. He was trying to play matchmaker! He knew the winning team would have to share a bed to share the fan and why that hadn't occurred to her earlier was beyond her.

"But-" Olivia stammered, her words lost on her drunken tongue.

"Nah, you won fair and square, but maybe you could let us have the fan tomorrow to be good sports?" Booth asked, fighting the grin on his face.

"Yeah I supposed we could," Peter said grudgingly.

Olivia was fighting off the panic that was doing a great job of sobering her up and finally found some words. "Your room or mine?"

Peter looked at her, confusion clearly written across his face and then it hit him. Understanding flooded his features and he actually blushed. Olivia couldn't stop the laughter the bubbled to the surface and out of her.

"_You're_ okay with sharing a bed with me?" Peter asked, completely shocked at the idea.

Olivia rolled her eyes at him. "I'd share a bed with Big Foot if it meant there was a fan," Olivia laughed and Peter scowled. Booth and Brennan laughed heartily at them; Brennan leaning onto a doubled over Booth. Olivia smirked at them and finally took in Peter's pissed off face. "Come on Big Foot, let's just use your bedroom; the fan is already in there." She wrapped her hand around his left forearm and tugged him in the direction of the stairs.

When they reached the third floor, they split off to get ready for bed. Olivia stood I front of her half unpacked bag and cursed herself for over thinking what she might wear to bed that night since she'd be with Peter. She should pick something casual and comfortable so he wouldn't get the wrong idea, but hell, it would be great if he agreed to the wrong idea. He was probably wondering what was taking her so long by now so she settled on a black cotton camisole and matching boyshorts underwear. Biting her lip and looking into the full length mirror she admired that this could come off as either casual or something else all together, depending on how he saw her. Olivia schooled her face to one of neutrality, prepared to deal with a nearly naked Peter or a fully clothed. She entered his room to see him sliding the desk across the room to the end of the bed and then he set the fan atop it. He glanced up and grinned at her for a moment and then his face went slack for a second and then to neutral.

"Which side do you prefer?" Olivia asked, trying to keep her voice from wavering as she stared at him in nothing but boxers.

"Honestly, I usually sleep in the center, but I don't think that's an option, so I'll cater to whatever preference you have." Peter said smoothly.

Olivia chuckled and shook her head. "I normally sleep in the center as well."

"Then how about I take the side closest to the door," Peter offered, already stepping to 'his' side.

Olivia nodded and moved to the furthest side and climbed on top of the bed, not bother with the sheets. She wanted to feel the rushing air on her bare skin and the sheet would just block it. She turned to her side facing Peter and stared at him as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Thanks for winning, Peter." Olivia murmured. Her eyes were already beginning to shut of their own accord, but she saw him smirk, his eyes never leaving the ceiling.

"Anytime, 'Livia." He whispered. And then Olivia fell asleep with the strong scent of Peter all around her and the breeze of the fan caressing her skin.


	20. A10

Sorry for the delay.

Please read and review.

* * *

It must have gotten colder sometime in the night, because when Peter woke it was to find Olivia curled up to him, her hands and face in his bare chest. He knew that he should have extracted himself from her or woke her up, but his brain just didn't seem to be functioning properly. He wasn't sure if it was because he was still tired, slightly drunk, and reluctant to break the contact or a combination of the three. Whatever it was, he found his brain doing what his heart wanted, and his arms wrapped around her protectively, and he watched her sleep. He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he could feel her stirring. He watched her eyes flutter open and a confused look wrinkle her brow, realization of where she was and who she was with, hitting her rather quickly. But instead of pulling away completely and running like he thought she would, she pulled back just enough to see him looking down at her.

"Good morning." He said huskily, only to get a non-coherent noise that sounded like a cross between a grunt and a heavy sigh. He chuckled lightly and reluctantly pulled away from her and sat up, looking back down to see that she had thrown an arm over her eyes and appeared to be dozing. He shook his head at the fact that she obviously wasn't a morning person, and got up to take a shower.

After he was cleaned and dressed, he headed through the silent house and assuming that no one else was awake, he strolled into the kitchen only to literally come face to face with Booth who instantly took a step back and let him pass, the whole time giving him a bright smile that perturbed him in more ways than one. Completely ignoring Booth, he went to the coffee maker and poured a mug before turning around and seeing Booth giving him a somewhat annoyed look.

"Look it would be nice if you actually had a reason to dislike me. But really, you don't." Booth stated, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

Peter looked at him and snorted in disbelief.

"Look I know what it's like to be nuts over your partner, trust me. And you may not want to believe this, but I have no interest in Olivia besides friendship and someone I can trust."

"You're right, I don't believe that." Peter snapped walking past the other man only to be stopped by a hand shooting out.

"Look if you love her, tell her."

"Says the man that's in love with his partner but isn't with her." Peter pointed out.

"I have told Bones that I love her."Booth remarked sadly. "Let's just say it didn't end well."

"But you're still pursuing her?" Peter asked in disbelief.

"If you told Olivia that you love her, and she shot you down even though you know she loves you, would you just walk away?"Booth asked. "Bones doesn't exactly follow her feelings, always opting for her brain and if her brain says one thing than her heart is damned because she's going to follow that mind of hers. And don't you think that if Olivia and I wanted to be together that we would be? Anyway she's what, 31, 32? I'm 37 and prefer women not young enough to be a sibling of mine."

"She's 32." Peter nodded taking a sip of his coffee and walking around Booth's outstretched arm and to one of the vast couches.

"Look you may not have the guts to approach her right now and tell her how you feel, but I know enough about women to know that they won't wait around forever."Booth pointed out and left the room, passing Walter on his way. Peter looked behind him at Booth's retreating back with a curious look but shrugged it off when Walter spotted him.

"Isn't the heat marvelous?" Walter beamed taking in a deep breath of the stall, thick air.

"Only you would think so Walter." Peter groaned wanting to avoid his father but not wanting to move. The heat hadn't let up at all, making it so that he was sweating while doing nothing but sitting.

"Where is everyone?"Walter asked sitting beside him.

"I'm not their keeper Walter." Peter groaned, the heat making him irritably. He pushed off the couch and groaned when the heat instantly covered his skin with a fine sheen of sweat. Pushing his discomfort to the side, he made his way back up the stairs and to the shower, never wanting to leave it again.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Astrid sighed in relief when she opened the patio doors and let the cool night air wash over her. She was quickly joined by everyone else, all of them more than happy to actually get out of the house even if it meant staying in the shadows and making as little noise as possible to not attract attention to them.

"Come on guys we only have a certain amount of time that we can be out here before it starts getting too light." She pointed out since it was already nearing 11.

"I'm going swimming."Booth announced quietly, slipping past the group wearing a pair of swim trunks. Everyone else was also in swim gear and followed suit. Astrid watched in amusement as the "adults" started splashing each other. Each of them smiling happily when the cool water. It only took her a moment before she too was making her way down into the water and letting out a relieved sigh when her heated skin was instantly cooled by the ocean water.

"The water is rather pleasant." Brennan sighed happily floating on her back.

"You said it Bones." Booth chuckled lightly and looked over at Peter who smirked at him.

"It is nice." Olivia smiled, rubbing some cool water over the scars on her abdomen, soothing the heat there.

"I like the heat." Walter stated, though he too was floating happily.

"Try not to float away Walter." Peter pointed out since Walter was getting closer to a strong area of waves.

"That would be splendid." Walter exclaimed causing everyone to roll their eyes at him.

They stayed in the water for close to an hour and only got out when the salt water was starting to knot their hair and their bodies had turned into living prunes. None of them wanted to go back to the enclosed space of the house but knew it had to happen eventually and so regretfully and slowly they made their way back up to the house and inside, each of them dripping wet and loving every moment that the cool water was on them.

"Alright well everyone should probably go to sleep." Booth pointed out, looking at the clock to see that it was now a little after 1.

"Or at least try and sleep, the heat is still a little unbearable." Olivia sighed, her skin starting to heat again.

"I'm just glad that the rooms have ceiling fans." Astrid pointed out, striding past them and continuing up the stairs.

"There's what now?" Peter asked looking at the others and seeing their equally interested faces. They then all quickly went into the first bedroom, Olivia's, and looked up to see a pristine fan right above the bed.

"This changes nothing." Booth smirked and grabbed the fan running from the room. It took a split second for the rest of them to chase him down and tackle him to the ground. They were all too busy wrestling with each other to notice Walter walking away with the object of their desire, a Cheshire grin on his face.


	21. O11

Please read and review. Also if you like this fic then I strongly advise going to Oranfly's page and checking out her newest fic. Trust me it's worth it!  


* * *

Brennan sighed in annoyance. She never could sit still well and they had been trapped in the house for a week now. A week of tension that even she couldn't ignore hung thick in the air and it was beginning to drive her made. She paced back and forth across the back screened in room like a tiger caught in a cage. She'd already read the majority of the books around the house and she was just itching to be productive. Brennan was so wrapped inside her head that she bumped into Booth who was standing in her way now.

"Whoa there Bones," he rested his hands on her shoulders, stopping her in her tracks.

"Sorry Booth," she mumbled, not looking up at him.

"Hey there," He tilted her chin up with his hand so that he could see into her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Brennan made a scrunched face up at him, trying not to get lost in his chocolate gaze. "I'm just bored."

Booth smiled brightly at her. "Well what would you say to a present?"

Looking confused, Brennan nodded.

"Great, now close your eyes." Booth said, stepping around behind her.

"What?" Brennan whined in mild outrage. "Ugh, fine!" She closed her eyes obediently and let Booth lead her carefully through the house; where she had now idea.

Finally they stopped.

"Okay, open them." Booth said, not willing to stop touching her and so kept one hand on her hip and the other her shoulder.

Brennan opened her eyes to see a black lap top at the dining room table, complete with power cord and wireless mouse. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized it was _her_ lap top.

"I know you don't take breaks very well, so I thought you could use this to continue working on your book at least-"

Brennan spun in his arms and jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck so that her feet dangled a couple inches of the ground. Booth stumbled in surprise, but then tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist. She pulled back just enough to give him an excited peck on the lips and she smiled brightly at him.

"Thank you, Booth. Thank you so much!" Brennan squealed excitedly. When he just stared at her, his face frozen in place she began to worry. "What's wrong?"

Booth quickly snapped out of his daze and smiled at her. "Absolutely nothing. You like it then?" Brennan pulled back and gave him a step of space.

"Yes! I love it!" She practically skipped to the seat in front her lap top and opened it as if it were a treasure. "Booth, I…" She floundered for words.

"It's just nice to see you smile again." He said, giving her an honest smile. Brennan stepped back in front of Booth and reached a hand out to touch the side of his face.

"Booth.." She moved closer to him, so they were only a few steps apart and then another couple steps closer. "Seeley…" She whispered and brought her lips up to touch his. He was too shocked to react at first, but then she began to pull away and he pressed his lips back into hers and teased her lips into a sweet dance. Brennan brought her hands up shyly to rest on his chest and she leaned into him – into the kiss. Booth's hands skimmed down her sides to rest on her hips and he pulled her body flush with his. Brennan let out a soft gasp and let herself melt into him; into her own personal weakness.

She knew she should've pulled back and questioned what they were doing, but she had felt the consequences of him dying twice now and she wasn't about to regret not taking this leap into the abyss again. Throwing all caution to the wind, she moved her lips from his and down his jaw line, then to his pulse point. Booth near trembled beneath her touch and he let out a soft groan. The feeling of incredible power swept through Brennan at his reaction to her and was near giddy with it.

"Bones…" he groaned as her teeth grazed his collar bone. His hands bit into her hips and he hoisted her up a few inches so that her legs wrapped easily around his waist. He walked them a few steps to the kitchen counter where he set her down so that they could explore each other with better access.

Brennan moved her hands down to the edge of his dark grey t-shirt and quickly hoisted it up and over his head, tossing the shirt to the side and then letting her hands roam the hardened expanse of his chest and stomach. She bit her lip in concentration, feeling every dip and rise on him. Booth's hands hastily moved to the buttons on her shirt and swiftly undid them until he could part her shirt to reveal a teal bikini top that consisted of two triangles and string. Booth groaned at the sight of her.

"Temperance, you're so beautiful." He murmured huskily into her ear, kissing down along her neck making her squirm closer to him so that their bare torsos were pressed together. The sound of something falling to the ground ripped them apart and they caught sight of Walter standing in the entry way to the kitchen with a spoon in hand and an empty bowl rolling on the floor.

"Well it's about time someone had sex in this house!" He exclaimed and without his bowl, turned and left the room, grinning stupidly.

Booth let out a breathy chuckle and shook his head, staring after the old man.

"How about we finish this tonight?" Booth asked her, lust and amusement swimming in his eyes.

Brennan gave a short laugh and smiled. "I'll see you in your room then – tonight." She gave him a playful smirk and a chaste kiss before hopping off the counter and collecting the lap top. With one last saucy glance back at him she carried her lap top across the room and then up the stairs. She was just passing the bathroom on her way to her bedroom when she saw Olivia step out, teasing her fingers through her newly blonde hair. They made eye contact and for once Brennan didn't feel any spite for the agent.

"I couldn't stand the light brown. It just wasn't me," Olivia said, clearly uncomfortable with the silent stare off.

"It looks nicer like that," Brennan commented. Olivia gave her a small smirk.

"Thanks," Olivia said. "Where'd you get the lap top?"

"Booth had it brought for me so I could work on my book while we're here." Brennan said, feeling a bit of pride at her partner who knew her so well.

"That's right! You've written a couple books. I haven't had time to read the most recent one, but the first two were fantastic! I actually had to work to figure out who the bad guy was for awhile – at least longer than I normally have to." Olivia said, finally feeling a little relaxed around the other woman.

"Thanks," Brennan said, most definitely flattered that she had enjoyed her writing. "Well, I'd better, ummm, get to writing." She made a step in the direction of her room.

"Right, well it was nice talking to you Dr. Brennan." Olivia said, smiling at the other woman.

"You can just call me Brennan, and thanks. It was nice talking with you as well." She said, relaxing a bit and then heading to her room.

NIGHT*NIGHT*NIGHT*

Olivia tossed and turned in her sleep that night and when a large roll of thunder shook her room she rolled out of bed in panic at the sudden noise. When she felt a wet gust of cold air rushing at her she stumbled to where she knew the window was but two steps across the room her shin came into contact with something and she stumbled to the ground cursing loudly. She managed to get to her feet again and finished the distance to the window and by the time she was able to shut and lock it her tank top and shorts clung to her drenched skin.

Just then her door flew open and a form rushed in. "OLIVIA?" It was Peter's voice.

"Yeah?" She asked, feeling rather foolish. A bolt of lightning flashed through the room and she was able to see him and the massive path of destruction she had created on her way to close the window.

"Good God, 'Livia, are you okay?" Peter went to flick on the light switch and when it didn't turn he just rushed to her. When his arms gripped her shoulders he must've felt how wet she was and she shivered. "You're dripping wet!" He pulled her further into the room, navigating the path of furniture to her bed and pulled a blanket around her shoulders. Olivia went to pull her legs up to her chest when she felt a sharp pain followed by a dull throbbing in her left leg. A hiss of pain escaped her as she let her legs back down again. Peter of course noticed and knelt before her to inspect her legs. He slowly traced his fingers down the backs of her calves making her breath hitch at the intimate touch but then his fingers found the place the pain was radiating and despite her best efforts she whimpered. His fingers came away from her skin and when a flash of lightning lit the room they both saw the smear of blood on them. "You're hurt." His voice was soft and sad.

"Yeah, I think I ran into that glass coffee table," she mumbled feeling rather foolish.

"I'll go dig the med kit out of the bathroom. You sit tight." He gave her knee a gentle squeeze and left her sitting on the bed. She snuggled into the blanket he put around her to try and stop the compulsive shivering that was wracking her body. He came back and she could sort of make out the look of worry on his face as he knelt before her again. He pulled her right foot into his lap so he could get a better look at the injury. Peter was careful to clean up the wound and then placed a gauze pad on it and then wrapped some tape securely around her calf to keep it in place. Using the bed to help himself up he felt just how wet the bed was and frowned at her as she still shivered. "You're bed is wet too. Why don't we dry you off and you can stay with me tonight."

Olivia looked up at him, still shaking from cold and nodded. She stood and hobbled over to her dresser to grab some new clothes and then Peter handed her a towel.

"I'll give you some privacy." He said and with one last glance at her left her room, shutting the door behind him.

Feeling anxious, Olivia stripped down and changed into a large t-shirt and a new pair of underwear. She had been wearing her last pair of shorts when she got drenched so she would have to forgo any sort of bottoms. Towel drying off, careful to avoid her injured leg, she finished up and then began the walk to Peter's room. When she entered it was to see Peter making the bed for them to share. He looked up and saw her standing in the doorway.

"Hey," he said softly, taking the sight of her in.

"Hi," she said and then the shivering started again. Noticing her state of coldness, he stepped forward and took her into his arms and held her close.

"Still cold?" He murmured as he rubbed her back.

She nodded into the warmth of his body. He pulled away and led her to the bed where he pulled the blanket back for her to climb under. Olivia eagerly slipped in under the blanket and watched as Peter walked around the bed and climbed in beside her. She snuggled down into the blanket and during her squirming; her bare legs brushed up against Peter's warm legs making them both still.

"C'mere," he murmured and brought his arm around her and pulled her so that she was tucked in neatly and her body fit perfectly with his. Olivia rested her hands on his chest and nuzzled her face into the junction of his shoulder and neck.

"Mmmm, my hero," she whispered sleepily.

"Hardly," Peter snorted. A flash of lightning lit the room and Olivia stayed tucked in close. "Hey, your hair is blonde again!" Peter commented, clearly surprised. Olivia chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, the brown was just weird." She said and yawned.

"I agree," he laughed. "Now get some sleep."

Olivia drifted off to the beating of his heart and the sound of his breathing; letting the warmth and comfort of him envelope her until awareness all but left her.


	22. A11

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* * *

Waking up brought on a state of déjà vu, as Peter cracked his eyes open to find Olivia curled into his side. Her breathing was still even indicating that she was still fast asleep, giving him the chance to admire how her soft body molded into him like warmed putty. Her small hands were hidden between her breasts and just below his armpit, her face resting in the crook of his neck, her warm breath leaving Goosebumps in its wake. The neck of her t-shirt dipped just enough for him the see the tops of her breasts, a small scar resting close to her heart from where one of the bullets had driven into her. He could remember oh so clearly when that wound had been opened and her life seeped out of it in torrents of red. He could still almost feel the weight of her in his arms, her body rapidly going limp as he tried, and failed, to stop the steady flow of blood from her body. He would have his hand tightly over one wound while the other flowed freely where his second hand, wrapped around her in support, couldn't get to. He could still smell the strong perfume of iron that hung around them and hear her strangled call to him before her eyes fluttered shut and he was sure she had died.

Now lying in an unfamiliar bed with her wrapped around him, was like a dream that he was afraid he would soon wake from. He had seen and felt her die, so it couldn't be possible for her to be here with him now. But somehow she was, and he would be forever grateful for that. It was like a second chance at happiness. A redo of all the things he had done wrong when it came to her, a chance to make it all different, to let her know how he felt.

He watched her sleep for a while, loving how relaxed and at ease she was when sleeping. It was rare to see this side of the agent, calm, relaxed, no burdens weighing heavily on her shoulders. During the day and at work she was agent Dunham, at night and out of work she was Olivia, his best friend and the women he loved. After he had gotten his fill of looking at her, he slowly slipped from the bed and quickly dressed; heading down stairs in hope of finding something to eat that he didn't have to cook.

"Good morning." Astrid smiled at him from her spot at the kitchen table, a cup of steaming coffee in her hands. Coffee was one of the hardest things to find in the house since everyone was severely addicted to what most of them referred to as the liquid god.

"Good Morning." He yawned, beaming when she handed him a cup. "Is everyone still sleeping?"

"I know Walter is. He wouldn't go to sleep until 2 am and decided to visit my room every 5 minutes or so. I haven't seen Olivia down here yet and both Booth and Brennan disappeared and haven't been seen since dinner last night." She sighed sleepily.

"Olivia is still sleeping." Peter pointed out so matter of fact that Astrid found it best not to ask how he knew that.

"Good morning." Booth's voice called behind them as he strode into the room, looking considerably happy.

"What has you so chipper?" Astrid smiled.

"It's a nice day." Booth shrugged.

"It's raining." Astrid stated, pointing to the rain covered windows.

Booth just beamed at her and then suddenly turned a deep shade of red and almost ran from the room leaving a very confused Astrid and Peter behind.

"Morning all!" Walter exclaimed walking into the room.

"What was that about?" Peter asked still looking in the direction that Booth had left.

"Oh he's probably just embarrassed." Walter smiled. "When you're stuck in a house together for long periods of time something is bound to happen."

"What do you mean?" Astrid asked.

"Well sex of course!"

"With who?" Peter asked, his face draining of all color.

"Well that I'm not sure of, she had light brown hair so either Dr. Brennan or Olivia." Walter shrugged. "I'm sure it was probably Olivia."

"Right." Peter ground out through clenched teeth, his hand tightening around his cup not noticing the heat anymore.

"I'm sure it was Dr. Brennan." Astrid said, seeing the heat in Peter's eyes.

"Yeah." He said shortly and quickly left the room in search of something to do to take his mind off of the fact that it could have been Olivia that had slept with Booth.

**~SOTPAW~**

What had she possibly done this time? Olivia thought as she walked through the house trying to find Peter who had taken off the moment he had seen her, refusing to say anything to her, not even a good morning. She just couldn't figure it out. Last night he had been so sweet to her coming to her rescue and letting her sleep in his bed since her's was soaked through with freezing rain. But now, now it was as if last night had never happened, it was back to the way it had been just days prior. She was just about to give up with the maze of halls and try to navigate her way back down stairs, when she spotted a door slightly ajar and upon opening it, found Peter sitting on a window seat staring out at the water.

"Are you going to tell me why you're avoiding me again?" She asked, leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed over her chest.

"No." He replied, not looking at her.

"Okay what did I do?" She snapped, losing patience quickly. "Yeah I lied about my death, because I had to and I can understand you being angry about that, but I haven't done anything else to warrant your attitude towards me!"

"Drop it Olivia." He hissed.

"No!" She yelled. "I'm tired of this Peter! One minute you're my friend and partner and then the next you're ignoring me! I just want to know why!"

"You go and fake your death after I held you in my arms trying to save your life! I had your blood all over me Olivia! And then come to find out you're alive and recovering and that you're not alone. You're with another agent! You practically found yourself a new partner one that you're obviously more suited to be with and now you go off and sleep with him!"He shouted.

"I faked my death because I had no choice! I wanted you to know Peter! And I never went and got myself a new partner; I don't want a new partner! As for sleeping with Booth, I never have nor would I ever! He's more like a brother to me than anything!" She yelled shocked that he would even accuse her of sleeping with the other agent,

"Then who did he sleep with?" Peter demanded to know.

"Well since he's in love with Dr. Brennan, I would assume her, unless he and Astrid have gotten awful close!"She pointed out. "And even if I had, why would it bother you so much?"

"It wouldn't." He lied, looking away from her.

"Peter?"

"Look Livia, you have your life, I have mine. We'll both live them the way we want alright? If you want to be with Booth or anyone else, go for it."

"But it will bother you." She pointed out, her heart racing with that fact. "It will bother you to see me with other men, why?"

"You're my partner, and my friend." He said pathetically. "I just want you to be happy."

"Who do you want me to be happy with? With Booth, he's not my type nor is he available even if he was. So who do you want me to be with?"

"I don't care, just as long as you find someone that makes you happy." Peter stated, walking towards the door.

"What if I already have?" She asked stopping him in his tracks.

"Then he's lucky to have you."

"Yeah, there are just a few problems." She said stepping closer to him.

"What would those be?"

"He keeps ignoring and pushing me away." She pointed out, watching realization settle into his features. "He keeps acting like he's not good enough for me, like I deserve better. But he's who I want."

"Livia."

"And there's something else." She said standing just mere inches from him.

"What?" He asked, his breath fanning over her lips.

"He doesn't know how much he means to me." She whispered, brushing her lips against his softly before Peter cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply.

"Do you think they even noticed us missing down stairs?" Olivia asked her naked body pressed against Peter's under the thin sheet that covered them modestly.

"With Walter, who knows?" Peter stated, kissing her hair. "Though I am getting hungry."

"Me too." She chuckled. "What time is it?"

"11." He answered, looking down at his watch. "Come on, we should probably get something to eat before our stomach's start to eat themselves."

She watched him get up and start to dress, following suit and soon fully clothed. Reaching out, she grasped his hand and turned him before kissing him deeply, only breaking the kiss when the need for oxygen was too strong. She smiled at him and saw him smiled happily back. Taking his hand, she pulled him from the room and down the stairs in search of something to eat.


	23. O12

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* * *

"No!" Peter said stubbornly. "I don't like it one bit."

"Peter! You're just being stubborn." Olivia reasoned, continuing to pack a small backpack with a few necessities.

"Stubborn? Stubborn?" Peter positioned himself in front of her. "Is it stubbornness that I want you alive?"

"Who said anything about me dying?" Olivia paused to scrunch her nose at him and looked confused.

"Every time I leave you or you leave me your life ends up in danger. I've learned my lesson and I'm not letting you out of my sight," Peter said, willing her with his voice and face.

"Peter…" Olivia's shoulders dropped and she set the pair of socks in her hand into the bag and took a step closer to him. "You say it like I try to get myself killed when we're apart." She tugged his hand into hers and squeezed it.

"I know. I know you don't try, but it's too soon." Peter pleaded. "I feel like I just got you back and I can't lose you again." He pulled her into his embrace and buried his face into her hair.

"Haven't we learned that it takes a lot to kill me?" Olivia half joked, her voice muffled into his chest.

"I'm not willing to risk it." Peter said, kissing the top of her head.

"I promise to be extra paranoid. They've even given me a bullet proof vest." Olivia ran her hands down his chest to settle at his hips.

"At least let me come with," he tried one last time.

"You're safer here and Walter needs you," she murmured, rolling her body into his; willing him with her body to let it rest since he wasn't listening to her words, but he caught on quickly.

"Are you trying to _seduce_ me, Dunham?" He asked skeptically, until she began to nibble and kiss his neck making him quickly forget what they were talking about. When she found his pulse point he was all but putty in her hands as strangled noises of pleasure escaped his lips.

Olivia dragged her fingers up under his t-shirt and brushed them over his flexing muscles drawing the most delicious noises from him. Faster than Olivia could react, Peter snatched her hands away from his chest. When she made to protest he brought his lips crashing down onto hers, swallowing any noise she may have made. Peter walked them back into the bed, kissing her the entire way. His hands trailed down her sides and then slipped into her back pockets in her jeans to squeeze her backside. Olivia wriggled in his grasp and moaned. With his hands still in her pockets, Peter scooped her up so that her legs wrapped around his waist. Unexpectedly, laughter erupted from Olivia as she was able to look down at Peter, who's eyes were filled the combination of lust and affection.

"What's so funny?" Peter asked, pausing in their trek to the bed. Olivia smiled brightly down at him.

"I've just not been this happy for a while," Olivia gave him a gentle kiss, filled with affection and possibilities.

"I'm not going to ask you to stay again, because I know you won't, but promise me you'll be careful." Peter whispered huskily.

"I wouldn't go if Broyles didn't need me to check in on this suspect. It could be our big break to get out of this house and get our lives back to normal. He wouldn't risk my life sending me out on a wild goose chase, but yes, I promise to be careful." She smiled indulgently at him.

Peter tilted his head up and she met him half way in a sweet kiss. Slowly, Peter let her down and with a sympathetic look, Olivia continued to pack her bag.

Brennan watched on as Olivia said her goodbyes and slung a pack over her shoulder. She both envied and worried for the agent she was growing fond of, despite her earlier feelings. They may not have shared as many girl moments as Angela and her had or talked in excess, but she respected the woman because she was clearly good at what she did and very straight forward. You didn't find that quality in many people, but to Brennan's relief, this woman possessed it in abundance. You always knew to expect the truth from her. When Olivia had finally said her goodbyes to all but her and Peter she turned to her.

"If I believed in luck – which I don't, I'd give it to you." Brennan fumbled a bit through her words, trying to convey the sincerity she sometimes lacked in expression. "Be safe."

Olivia's face which was at first amused confusion brightened by the end of her speech.

"Thanks, Brennan. You keep taking care of my partner while I'm away."

This of course got an offended "hey!" from Peter, but they both just ignored him.

"I wouldn't have thought he needed it, but I've seen him when he thought you were dead. I'll do the best I can." Brennan said.

Olivia blushed and nodded while Peter was sputtering in objection.

"Knowing you, your best will keep my mind at ease." Olivia said and Brennan accepted the compliment graciously. She turned to Peter and squeezed his hand in hers. "I'll be back tomorrow by lunch." She went on her tip toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Be good."

Peter clearly ignored her last joking comment and pulled her into his arms for a hug. _Definitely not a guy hug_, Brennan thought wryly. The doorbell rang and the partners broke apart. Booth moved to open the door and Broyles stepped in.

"Ready?" He asked, standing in the doorway expectantly. Olivia just nodded and seemed to give herself a quick once over to be sure. She was dressed in khaki cargo pants that hung low on her waist and t-shirt that clung comfortably to her form without giving away the bullet proof vest underneath. She gave one last sympathetic look to Peter before she disappeared behind the door. Brennan watched and waited for Peter to do anything or show some kind of emotion but he seemed to be locked up in neutrality. Booth would say that it looked very forced though. After a minute he turned and headed upstairs without another word.

Astrid and Walter eventually migrated over to the living room and then she turned to Booth, who looked a little fearful.

"You're worried." Brennan stated. Booth sighed and ran a hand through his short hair.

"Yes. I know it sounds stupid, but this is the longest both Olivia and I have gone without someone trying to kill us and it's like we're just throwing her out as a target. It just seems too good to be true that we've gone this long being safe." Booth paused and Brennan rested a reassuring hand on his arm. "I don't normally befriend other agents. Sweets would say it was because I project my expectations of myself and being a good agent onto others, but Olivia is the real deal. She's a great agent and friend and I can't protect her from inside this house."

Brennan felt a touch of jealousy that this other woman could inspire such devotion to protect in Booth, but she knew it was because she had somehow slipped into the family they had been creating over the long years of being partners. Booth would do the same for Angela or Cam.

"It's like you said Booth. She's a very capable agent, and I'm sure she'll be fine." Brennan said, rather proud of her ability to voice her empathy. Booth beamed down at her, obviously rather proud as well.

"You're getting a little too good at that," Booth said smiling.

"Too good? At what?" Brenna raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"Never mind, Bones. Thank you," and he leaned down and gave her a sweet kiss that left her heart fluttering. "Didn't you say something about making that mac'n'cheese dish of yours tonight?" Booth said, giving her a silly smile.

Brennan chuckled at the quick change of attitude and nodded.

"And Walter said something about helping Astrid bake an apple pie." Booth looked to almost be dancing on the balls of his feet at the thought of his favorite desert. Brennan shook her head and made for the kitchen with right behind her.

"Why don't you go remind Astrid she has that pie to make while I start getting everything ready," Brennan said, pushing Booth into the direction of the living room. Laughing, Booth followed her instructions and soon Astrid entered the kitchen. Brennan watched from the corner of her eye as Astrid puttered around collecting ingredients for the pie.

"Would you mind if I worked over here?" Astrid asked, standing in the space beside Brennan.

"Sure, I don't need too much space and this kitchen has a lot of it anyways."

The women worked in silence before Brennan let her curiosity out.

"So what exactly do you _do_? She asked, mixing her selection of cheeses together.

Astrid smiled over at her as she continued to work the dough with her hands against the powdered counter top. "I'm Olivia's assistant, technically."

"Like a secretary?" Brennan asked innocently.

Astrid laughed good naturedly and started to flatten the dough out. "No, I'm a junior agent for the FBI and Olivia's kind of been teaching me the ropes. But as you've seen, I usually end up at the lab with Walter and sometimes Peter, assisting in experiments."

"That must be disappointing to have signed up to be an agent and ended up being a scientist of sorts," Brennan commented, leaning over to check if the water was boiling.

"At first it was a little annoying," Astrid said. "But I've learned so much working in the lab and not just science stuff. And working with Walter has been a real test of patience, but he's a brilliant man and it's been a privilege working with him."

Brennan half laughed and turned to stare at the junior agent. "I still find it hard to believe he's a genius."

They both laughed at that.

"Believe me, I forget sometimes too." Astrid said smirking.

An hour later, the table was set and dinner was ready. Everyone but Peter hovered anxiously around the kitchen and dining room, just waiting to dig in. Brennan surveyed the ground floor in disappointment. Peter still hadn't made an appearance since Olivia had left. Sharing a look with Astrid, they nodded and Brennan slipped out of the kitchen and up the stairs toward Peter's room.

He was reclined against the headboard of his bed, reading a science magazine, but looking very distracted.

"Hey," Brennan said, trying to get his attention. When he looked up at her, she continued. "Dinner is ready."

Peter nodded but didn't budge. "I'm not hungry."

"You know, starving yourself isn't going to keep her alive." Brennan reasoned.

Peter scowled at her and pointedly went back to reading and ignoring her.

"If it were Booth, I… I don't know what I would do and I understand that being apart from your partner and unsure of her safety is very difficult, especially when you can't help any." Brennan said, trying not to squirm from nerves of sharing so much. Peter looked up at her and seemed to be gazing into her to tell if she was being honest.

"It's not just that she's my partner. Last night…" He paused to think of whether or not to continue. "Last night I found out she likes me as more than a friend and now she's in danger already. What if last night and today is the only time we had as something more? I should've told her exactly what she means to me – how much I love her, but I chickened out."

"Booth would say that you just need to make the most of the time you do have together."

"You put a lot of stock into what Booth says." Peter said dryly.

"I've learned over the years that when it comes to matters of the heart and emotions, he's usually right." Brennan shrugged guilessly.

"I guess Olivia and I have yet to begin the stage in a partnership where listening to each other without asking is a given." Peter laughed.

"Oh I question him all the time. I'm just fortunate that he is a patient man." Brennan smiled. "Besides, if you love her, you can start by trusting her when she says she's going to be alright."

Peter looked ready to argue that point but Brennan silenced him with a 'don't even try it' look.

"I know Olivia wouldn't want you to miss my famous mac'n'cheese while worrying over her, so why don't you join us." It was said as more of a statement and Peter just rolled his eyes before following her downstairs.

Brennan took the seat beside Booth and he gave her a look that spent her heart spinning. It was one of total love and admiration. He rested the hand closest to her on her knee and gave her a swift kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for Dinner, Temperance." Booth said and dove into the food placed around the table. Brennan had one last fleeting thought for Olivia and what she was up to before she settled in to enjoy a dinner with friends; because that was what they had all become


	24. A12

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* * *

The steady smack of the rubber ball against the wall was the only noise that could be heard in the otherwise still room. The ball had been brought to the house by an agent at Booth's request. It was more of a stress ball than anything else and helped to stem the anger that he felt at being cooped up for so long. To some people being stuck in a house for 2 weeks would be easy, but for him, someone that was so used to being active and hardly ever confined to 4 walls, it was like his own personal hell. It didn't help that the house had gone eerily quiet after Olivia had left with agent Broyles. It was as if all the life inside the house had died down, everyone feeling the effects of having one of them missing from their ranks. To him it felt like they were preparing for a funeral like this time she would never come back. Nothing seemed to interest anyone as hunger and entertainment seemed like foreign things to them, their bodies on autopilot as they waited in what felt like the calm before the storm. The last time he had felt anything like this was when he had been in the army, he didn't the feeling at all.

"Damn it!" He swore under his breath throwing the ball as hard as he could against the wall and hearing the satisfying smack it made on contact. He watched the ball roll away, not caring where it went.

"Booth?" He heard behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know it was bones. "Are you okay?" She asked after he hadn't made any move to acknowledge her presence.

"Olivia is out there somewhere and you're asking me if I'm okay?" He ground out, but schooled his attitude when he saw the hurt look on her face. "I'm sorry, I'm just stressed."

"You care about her." Bones said with a touch of hurt in her voice.

"She's my friend Bones, so yeah I care about her."Booth snapped instantly regretting it when her eyes filled with pain. "I'm sorry Temperance, please come here." He asked, smiling at her a little when she complied.

"She will be okay Booth." She said as reassuringly as she could.

"I know Bones; I just can't stop worrying though. She is my friend like Angela is your friend. I care about her safety and when she is potentially in danger all I can think about are the bad things that could happen to her."

"Do you love her?" Brennan barely whispered.

"I love you Temperance, but yes, I do love her. But not like I love you. I love her as a friend, kind of like a younger sister." He explained.

"I care about you too Booth." She responded. It wasn't the 'I love you' that he longed for but it was as close to it as she could get to at the moment and he understood that. He pulled her to him and kissed her softly.

Cookies, various types of bread and fat pies sat on the kitchen island in various levels of cooling. Everyone had their ways of dealing with stress and nerves; Astrid's was to bake everything she could think of. Her nervous habit may be a little annoying to others but it was nothing compared to Walter's which consisted of pacing continuously muttering to himself. Booth's nervous habit was almost just as bad what with the rubber ball bouncing off of everything every five seconds. Brennan didn't seem to ever be nervous and Peter had taken off to his room again so who knows what he did to calm his nerves.

Picking up one of the cooled pies, she grabbed two forks and walked past and oblivious Walter and up the stairs to the third floor where she knew she would find Peter. She went to his closed door and knocked a few times, hearing a muffled noise in return. She pushed the door open and found him sitting on his bed with a dozen or so books open in front of him.

"I brought pie." She said holding it in front of her like a peace offering. He gave her a half smile and cleared away a few of the books so that she could sit. She took the seat and handing him one of the forks before taking a bit. They stayed in complete silence for so long it was starting to become deafening.

"She will be okay." Astrid said confidently, breaking the silence.

"I won't believe that until she's back and this case is over."Peter sighed taking a bite of the sweet, sticky treat. "With everything that's happened, I just can't take the risk of staying calm. It feels like if I stay calm she won't come back this time."

"Broyles will keep her safe." Astrid pointed out. "He wouldn't have brought her out of the house if he couldn't keep her safe."

"I know that, I do, it's just…" He trailed off taking another bite.

"You love her." She finished for him and saw him nod slowly. "You just have to keep faith in the fact that she will be okay."

"Yeah, you're right." Peter weakly smiled. "Just keep believing that she'll be okay."

"Yes." Astrid smiled, turning her attention to the door where Walter walked in.

"I was wondering where you were." He stated, walking over to them. "When is agent Dunham supposed to be back?"

"She shouldn't be gone for too long Walter." Astrid said, seeing the concerned fatherly look in his eyes.

"Okay." Walter said sadly but then noticed the pie. "Oh pie!"

"Here you go Walter." Peter chuckled handing him his fork which Walter eagerly took, digging into the treat.

"Where are Booth and Brennan?" Peter asked, realizing that neither the agent nor doctor had been down stairs for very long.

"They took off to one of the rooms around here a while ago." Astrid smirked.

"Like you and Olivia last night." Walter pointed out with a suggestive look on his face, making Peter turn bright red. "About damn time too."

"Walter." Peter stammered embarrassed.

"What it's about time you two stopped being so afraid and just went after each other. Everyone could see it. Even Broyles noticed how you feel about each other." Walter explained.

"That's true actually." Astrid nodded remembering the numerous times she had seen a knowing look on the senior agents face when he watched the interactions between Peter and Olivia.

"Great." Peter grumbled causing Astrid to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Booth asked from the doorway.

"Nothing really, where have you two been?" Astrid asked happily and smirked when they both blushed.

They soon joined the others on the bed, each seeking comfort from the others to help them deal with the feeling of lose at having Olivia out of the house. Each of them gaining small bits of reassurance that she would be fine.


	25. O13

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* * *

Olivia fairly squirmed in her seat in her anxiousness to escape the confines of the car she was in. They were on their way back to the safe house after a fairly uneventful day trip. She was able to confirm that the man they held; one Michael Joricho was indeed the leader of the latest scientific mind control experiment on Boston. He'd even admitted to having a partner that was still at large, but they'd gotten a few leads as to where he could be located and that meant there was a light at the end of the tunnel for this case.

When they pulled up to the house, Olivia was already unfastening her belt and opening the door. She needed to know everyone was okay and to see Peter. Just as they had probably worried over her, she had worried that something would happen to them while she was away and she wouldn't be able to help protect them. She was flying out the car door the second it came to a stop and running up the path to the front door. Olivia wriggled the handle to find it lock, and then cursed herself for being stupid enough to think a safe house door wouldn't be locked, but the door swung open to reveal Booth, aiming a gun at her. He dropped the sights of the weapon the second he saw it was her though, and stuffed the weapon into the back of his waist band.

"Olivia!" Booth ran forward and lifted her off the ground in an exuberant hug and spun her around. "You're alive!"

Olivia laughed heartily and hung on for dear life. "I wasn't gone _that _long!"

"Could you at least take that inside?" Broyles said from behind them, sounding rather upset that Booth had just run outside in broad daylight. Booth set her down looking rather sheepish and they walked inside while Broyles went back to the car to leave. Once the door was shut behind her all Olivia could see was Peter rushing down the stairs looking as if he hadn't slept the entire time she was gone. She dropped her bag on the floor and ran at him. He looked to be so shocked he barely had time to open his arms as she leapt into them.

He buried his face into her neck and hair, taking in her familiar scent, reveling in her. He pulled back just long enough to steal her lips in a deep kiss that felt more like they should've been behind bedroom doors but she didn't care at the time. She fisted her hands into his hair and wriggled closer to him. It wasn't until they started getting catcalls that they pulled apart, their chests heaving as they gasped for air.

Peter chuckled and Olivia blushed, preferring to hide her face in his chest while the others ribbed them for their impromptu make out session.

"Welcome back, Dunham." Peter said smiling down at her.

"Thanks," she mumbled before detaching herself from him. It didn't take long for Walter to shuffle over and envelope her in a hug as well. "Walter…" She droned, but smiled good naturedly and patted him on the back. And not to be left out, Astrid hugged her as well. When she turned to Brennan, the woman's arms were crossed over her chest and she was glaring at her balefully.

"You're not allowed to leave again. He was impossible to deal with and I'm not sure how you do it." She said and then smirked.

"Well, thanks for trying anyways." Olivia said, smiling at the other woman.

"Come on then; I've got about ten pies with your name on them." Astrid gently pushed Olivia in the direction of the kitchen and when she laughed in response, Astrid shook her head. "I'm not kidding. We've all eaten at least two each and since it's your fault we were all so worried you get the last ten."

"You have to try the apple-raspberry one with ice cream, Olivia, it's glorious!" Walter raved.

"She can't, Walter, you ate that entire pie by yourself last night after we all went to sleep." Astrid said dryly but still smiled at the mad scientist.

"Oh! Yes, I suppose I did." Walter said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Olivia couldn't help the laughter that escaped her. She was just so happy that everything and everyone was still their old selves. Two pieces of pie later, Astrid was refilling her plate much to her protest and Walter was still talking her ear off while Peter sat beside her, gently rubbing circles on her knee.

"So when are you going to tell us what happened?" Booth spoke up when Walter took a breath between sentences. They all turned to her expectantly and Astrid took the seat beside Walter and across from Peter.

"It was him." She said. Peter squeezed her knee and their eyes met in understanding.

"We're still here though, so what happened?" Peter asked.

"He's got a partner that hasn't been caught yet. They're moving the guy we do have into a very strict custody detail in hopes to limit the chance of escape and they've got a few leads as to where his partner might be." Olivia tried to be positive, but she didn't want to give anyone false hope either.

"So, we're stuck here for at least a few more days, but there's a chance we might be out before the New Year." Booth said, his shoulders slumping a bit in defeat.

"I'm sorry," Olivia said, feeling rather useless not being able to deliver news that they were escaping their confines tonight.

"Sorry?" Peter asked skeptically. "Why the hell are you sorry? They've got the main guy! We should celebrate tonight. Olivia's back safely and they've caught one of the two bad guys!"

Everyone around the table began to cheer up at the possibility of breaking the routine.

"Can we go bowling?" Walter asked excitedly.

Peter rolled his eyes at his father and shook his head. "Sorry Walter, we still can't leave the house, but we'll think of something fun to do. Why don't we break out into committees so that this is done properly; food, games, and decoration."

Everyone was nodding excitedly and Olivia smirked at her partner. He was just too clever for his own good sometimes. He'd managed to cheer everyone up and get them excited about something after they'd all been trapped inside the same house for almost three weeks now.

"Well, we know you two can't be on the same committee," Booth pointed to him and Olivia. "Or we might not have results since you'd be too busy making out in some dark corner."

"Or bright living room." Brennan chipped in smiling.

Olivia blushed but couldn't help but laugh. "Sounds fair."

"I want to be on the decoration committee!" Walter piped in, squirming in his seat out of excitement.

"Well, I vote Brennan and Astrid for food," Peter said smiling at the two. "We've eaten like royalty while you were gone." Astrid blushed a pleasant shade of pink before throwing a balled up napkin at him.

"And who says we want to cook more, right Brennan?" Astrid whined playfully.

"Well I know how Booth cooks and I'm not sure I want Walter or Olivia cooking, so I'm okay with it." Brennan chuckled.

"Trader," Astrid mocked and then laughed. "Fine! We'll be doing food."

"Well, I'm no fun, so I'll help Walter with decorations," Olivia offered. "Though between the two of us, I'm not sure anyone wants to expect too much."

"I was thinking circles! I've had the urge to calculate out the various sizes oh and pi!" Walter rambled on about his ideas while Booth and Peter agreed to do games.

"Start at 6pm tonight?" Brennan asked. "That gives us six hours to finish everything."

Everyone agreed and they all broke off to do their part, but not before Peter could steal one last long kiss that made Olivia's heart near burst with love and affection. She was hard put not to run off with him to get some alone time and by the look in his eyes it seemed he was already plotting just that.


	26. A13

Please read and review. They make us happy and we can both use happy right now :)  


* * *

Peter stood on the stairs and just stared down at the main floor where he could see Walter and Olivia making decorations which mainly consisted of various sized circles. Walter looked like a kid in a candy shop while Olivia, though looking happy, looked a little preoccupied as well. Though now that he watched her more closely, he noticed the amount of concentration she was putting into the almost perfect circles being crafted by her small hands.

"I figured I'd find you down here." Booth said walking over to him and turning to fix his gaze in the same direction as Peter's, letting out a low chuckle when he realized what had the younger man's attention. "She's here, she's okay."

"I know." Peter nodded. "It's just, a lot has happened and having her leave and potentially be put back in danger…I'm just glad she's back."

"Yeah I know that feeling." Booth stated. "Bones was abducted a while back. We did everything we could to find her and Dr. Hodgins, another of the squints that was abducted with her. We eventually found them but just barely. It felt amazing to have her back, like a weight was lifted and everything in the world would be fixed."

"That's kind of what it feels like." Peter nodded. "She's now been pronounced dead twice. Once when she got into a car accident and was declared brain dead, and then when she was shot. Do you know what it's like to hold someone you care about in your arms as they bleed out?"

"Sadly, yes." Booth sighed, looking away from him. "One of the men I worked with in the army. He was just a kid when he got shot."

"I'm sorry."

"We're supposed to be planning a party right?" Booth said changing the subject.

"Yeah we are." Peter smiled at him and saw a grateful look in Booth's eye at letting the subject go. "I think we have all that we need."

"Yes." Booth agreed, walking past Peter and down the stairs to see everyone else ready as well. He passed Olivia who looked up at where he had just come from and saw Peter looking at her.

Peter left his spot on the stairs and walked over to her, taking her face in his hands and kissing her soundly before pulling her body against his and hugging her tightly. He felt her arms wrap around him holding him just as tight. He never wanted to let her go and just stay like they were for the rest of their lives but had that fantasy quickly squashed when Walter walked into the room and they slowly pulled apart.

"Come on you two." He urged and went behind them; literally pushing them into the kitchen where they could see all the hard labor Astrid and Brennan had done in preparing food. There were the ten fat pies in the middle now surrounded by sandwiches, soups, pasta salads, potato salad, and tons of cut up fruits along with numerous different types of alcohol. Walter and Olivia's circle decorations had been put up all around the kitchen, hanging from the ceiling or being used as makeshift coasters for drinks.

"This looks great!" Booth cheered happily, noticing a still intact apple pie that literally had his name on it, written on a sticky note in Brennan's hand writing. "Thanks Bones." He beamed.

"You're welcome." She shrugged and handed a full pie to Olivia whose eyes widened at the amount of weight the pie held. "Astrid said that this one is for you."

"Astrid you're going to make me fat." Olivia sighed considerably happy to have such a large strawberry rhubarb pie, though she wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to actually finish it before it went bad.

"You're way too thin; some meat on your bones won't hurt you a bit." Peter said smiling at her. "Did you actually eat while away?"

"Not much." She shrugged placing the pie on a counter. "I was more concerned with getting the guy and come back in one piece than to eat."

"Well we have to fix that then." Astrid beamed handing her a plate that was near to over flowing with every type of food available and burst into laughter when Olivia's eyes looked about ready to pop out of her head.

"Well, let's eat." Peter said pulling Olivia and the massive plate over to the table where they were quickly joined by the others and everyone started to dig in. The first few minutes were pretty uneventful and relaxing, that was until Walter went to get a forkful of watermelon only for it to shoot off his fork and hit Booth square between the eyes. Booth being, well, Booth, grabbed a forkful of potato salad with intent on hitting Walter with the slimy salad only to end up hitting Astrid instead. Before any of them knew it most of the food was on them instead of the plates. A huge pile of discarded food was gathering on the floor making it hard for them to run and avoid the flying objects, many of them slipping and finding themselves flat on their backs laughing hysterically.

Soon the 'fighting' died down and everyone lay on the floor wiping their eyes and trying to catch their breath. It had been a long time since any of them had actually had any fun, all of them so wound up about the case to really take the time to relax. They all started to get up, slipping and sliding on the slick floor and helping each other clean the food debris from their hair and clothing. Once everyone was relatively clean they all headed upstairs to their rooms to get dressed into clean clothing, Olivia grabbing her still intact pie on her way up, Booth doing the same with his.

"Olivia?" Peter asked knocking on her door about an hour later once everyone had showered and gotten the sticky mess off of them.

"Yeah, come in." Olivia called from her spot on her bed, a fork in hand as she slowly started in on the pie. "I didn't exactly eat much at dinner."

"No but it was fun." Peter shrugged and beamed at her when she handed him a fork. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." She beamed at him. "What did you guys do while I was away?"

"Truthfully, we didn't do much." Peter shrugged. "We were all just scared for you."

"You don't have to be scared for me."

"You're always scared for the person you love."

"Peter?" She asked putting her fork down and staring at him, her heart rate speeding up with every second that passed.

"I love you Olivia." He elaborated, reaching out and cupping her cheek. "You've meant so much to me for so long now and sadly it took you dying for me to realize just how much."

"I love you too Peter." She said putting the pie aside and closing the distance between them in a searing kiss.


	27. O14

Please read and review.

* * *

Brennan sat on the beach in her black bikini with a large black knit sweater thrown over it with the hood drawn up to better hide her, staring out at the ocean. She wasn't completely ignorant of their situation and how they were still in danger and so she stayed camouflaged as best as she could. Her thoughts seemed to wander everywhere, but mostly to the man that had been her partner and best friend these last five years.

"Bones!" A voice whispered loudly from back by the house. Brennan tried her best not to move and give her location away but when he hissed her name again, but with a trace of panic she gave up on that idea. She turned her face toward the house and saw him jogging back to the house as if to continue searching for her there.

"Booth," she kept her voice low, but loud enough for him to hear her. He spun around and once he caught sight of her the look of relief instantly made her feel guilty for even thinking about keeping her silence and peace.

"Bones! What the hell were you thinking, sneaking out without telling anyone where you were going? I was beginning to think you'd been hurt or taken…" he trailed off when he realized she wasn't listening to his quiet tirade. "Bones?" He set himself down beside her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you. I just needed space and fresh air," Brennan said, reveling in the feel of the ocean wind threatening to whip her hood off and reveal her burgundy locks.

"Did you want me to leave you alone? I could just hang out on the back porch and keep a distance…" Booth offered looking rather disappointed.

"No!" Brennan nearly yelled, but lowered her voice. "No. Actually your company always helps."

"Thanks, Bones." He gave her one of the smiles that made her heart do flips.

"It's only the truth." Brennan shrugged.

"So what are you out here thinking about?" Booth asked.

Brennan didn't answer at first. Of course she would tell him, but would he take it the wrong way?

"You, mostly." Brennan paused to think carefully about her next words. "When my parents left and then Russ, I learned that love didn't make people stick around. I think that's when I lost the understanding of what love was, but you've brought it back into my life. I know I love Angela, Hodgins, and I can honestly say that Cam and Sweets are my friends. And yes, Booth, I know I love you, but I wasn't sure it was the same as how you felt. But if Angela left and didn't look back – yes I'd be devastated and it would be hard dealing with it, but when I thought you were dead it felt like the world dropped from beneath my feet, which doesn't make sense, I know. It felt like I was running in circles and nothing was right anymore. That's how it felt when my parents left; when Russ left soon after. I thought I stopped needing people after that feeling happened once, but you're proof to the contrary." Brennan paused to think. "Booth – Seeley, I need you like I haven't needed anyone before and that scares me, but what scares me more is a life without you."

"Temperance-"

But Brennan silenced him with a finger to the lips. "No, Booth I need to say this. I love you." She made sure to keep eye contact when she said it and before she could continue his lips were on hers, sweet and full of love and passion.

"I love you too, Temperance." He murmured between kisses. He held her face tenderly in his hands and the feeling of adoration and love threatened to sweep her away. She pulled back, needing air. "Sorry – I'm sorry."

"No, I'm just getting used to this; to us." Brennan said, meaning every word.

Booth nodded but didn't move away and Brennan appreciated that.

"Maybe we could just lay out here and stare up at the sky for awhile?" Brennan asked innocently.

"That sounds like a great idea, Bones." Booth laid out and Brennan rested her head between his chest and shoulder and took hix hands in hers.

"You know, I think I might actually miss this Boston team." Brennan commented almost wistfully. Booth gave a half chuckle.

"I think I will too." Booth said, kissing the top of her head before looking back up at the sky. "I mean, yeah Walter is absolutely nuts, but he's almost like a toddler the way he gets himself into trouble all the time."

Brennan had to laugh at that summation. "Yes, definitely trouble. And Olivia is a good person. She kind of reminds me of a more serious you."

"Is that so?" Booth chuckled. "And Astrid, oh Astrid. We need to set up mail order pies!"

"Pies?" Brennan almost sat up in surprise. "You like the girl because of her pies?"

"Well, no! But those pies are God's gift to man." Booth explained as if it was common knowledge. Brennan gave him a look of absolute disbelief and he continued. "Okay – okay, she's a sweet girl and I've seen her with Walter, so maybe that's an understatement. That girl is a saint!"

Brennan shook her head and snuggled closer to Booth. "And Peter, for all his wise cracks and overstated opinions, is really a good guy, looking to do the right thing. Oh and don't tell him, but his science jokes are quite funny."

Booth snorted in disbelief. "I won't and I'll take your word for it."

"Do you think we'll ever see them again?" Brennan asked quietly.

"I like to think so, Bones. I really do."

"Good," Brennan said through a yawn and drifted off to sleep, curled into Booth's side and holding him close.


	28. A14

Some Booth-Parker time.

Please read and review.

* * *

The news that the second man they had been looking for had been found and captured came to them in the middle of the night shortly after everyone had gone to bed. Broyles was the one to bring the news to them, waking them all by going from room to room, knocking on the doors and calling out to them loudly. Thankfully he choose to ignore the fact that Peter and Olivia came out of the same room, the same with Booth and Brennan.

"The second man in the mind control operation has been found and is now in custody." He explained and saw the sleep instantly disappear from their faces.

"So it's over, we're safe now?" Peter asked taking Olivia's hand not caring if Broyles saw, the man had already seen them walk out of the same room barely dressed.

"Yes." He nodded. "You'll all spend tomorrow together up until the late afternoon, but after that you'll all be sent home. I suggest you get some more sleep and I'll see you all in the afternoon tomorrow." He said, getting up and leaving the house.

"Whoa." Booth sighed, after some time had passed. "It just seems so…"

"Surreal?" Astrid finished for him and got a nod in response.

"Yes." Booth nodded.

"I'm not tired anymore." Brennan declared and looked around at everyone else to see that they too were no longer tired.

"We could watch a movie." Walter suggested, everyone agreeing pretty quickly but falling asleep almost immediately after it started.

**2621262126212621**

Breakfast was a very quiet event, none of them really feeling like talking or doing much of anything for that matter. They all just sat around the table picking at their food and looking more worn and depressed than they had the whole time that they were stuck there. Now that they were "free" they all felt the weight of their departure on their shoulders and hearts.

"So um, you guys live in Maryland right?" Astrid asked around a sip of coffee.

"Yes." Brennan nodded. "It will be different going back. Though it will be nice to see Angela, Cam, Hodgins and event Dr. Sweets."

"Everyone I work with is here." Astrid gestured around to Peter, Olivia and Walter. "Maybe we can visit some time."

"We live 440 miles away from each other." Brennan pointed out.

"And it's not like we really ever get time off."Peter stated, adjusting a sleeping Olivia in his arms.

"Do you have email?" Booth asked and saw everyone that was awake, brighten considerably. Each of them soon had they own slip of paper with emails on it and phone numbers, the unspoken promise to keep in touch hanging in the air around them.

"What time are we leaving?" Brennan asked not really wanting to leave but also wanting to go home and see her family of squints again.

"We leave around two I guess." Booth answered, looking at the information Broyles had apparently left behind for them. "The rest of you guys will leave shortly after us."

"Yeah we don't live that far from here." Peter said feeling Olivia starting to wake up. "Hello sweetheart."

"Mmmm." She mumbled, rubbing her eyes and looking around at everyone, a little embarrassed at having fallen asleep at the table. "What time is it?"

"It's about ten." Peter answered looking down at his watch.

"We should probably start packing."Walter piped up for the first time.

"That's probably a good idea." Astrid sighed, putting her cup down and heading up stairs, everyone else quickly following suit.

Two in the afternoon came way too fast for everyone who soon found themselves standing in the foyer with their bags packed and beside them, saying goodbye. Quick and somewhat awkward hugs were given by most while Walter took his time hugging everyone so tightly that they were left rubbing their ribs after and trying to catch their breath.

"Keep in touch okay?" Booth asked looking at all of them in turn.

"We will." Peter promised, shaking the other man's hand.

"It's time to go." An agent said directing Booth and Brennan to the car that would bring them to the air port.

They followed the agent and turned around, waving to them before getting into the car and driving away. Peter, Olivia, Astrid and Walter were then ushered into a different car by Broyles and they started the short journey home.

**2126212621262126**

"Gene!" Was the first word out of Walter's mouth once they walked through the doors of the lab and saw the cow standing in her stall looking just as healthy as ever and not at all phased with the fact that they had been gone for so long.

"Walter, I'm sure she was just fine." Peter stated when Walter started fussing over the large animal.

"We've been gone for so long and I highly doubt that they milked her." Walter rambled off and left to some part of the lab.

"It feels almost normal." Astrid groaned going in search of the man.

"Do you think you could come with me for a bit?" Olivia asked a little shyly. "I have something that I need to do and would like you there."

"Sure." He agreed quickly and let her pull him from the lab and to her car. They drove the short distance to her apartment where they could see Rachel's car parked out front. "Are you sure you want me to go in with you?"

"Yes." She nodded, getting out of the car and waiting for him to do the same before they both headed up stairs and to her door. She took the key out of her pocket and unlocked the door, pushing it open and walking in to find the main room empty. "Hello?" She called out and soon had two shocked and tearful people tackling her to the floor.

"But you…We were told that you were dead." Rachel gasped between sobs.

"I know, I had to lie to stay safe. I'm so sorry that you were not told before now." Olivia explained.

"Did you know that she was alive?" Rachel turned accusing eyes on Peter.

"No, I didn't know for a while and when I found out I was put into protective custody as well." Peter explained.

"Are you okay aunt Liv?" Ella asked wiping at her own tears.

"Yes I am now. I did get hurt but I'm all healed." Olivia smiled, climbing off the floor and standing next to Peter.

"And you're safe now?" Rachel asked looking at them both.

"Yes." The said in unison.

"Good." She said and then smiled when she saw how close they were standing. "Are the two of you..?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Peter smirked and winked as Olivia blushed and Rachel let out a joyous yell.

**D.C.D.C.D.C.D.C.D.C.D.C**

Booth and Bones walked through the doors of the Jeffersonian and instantly spotted their team, all of which were congregated around a work table with Dr. Sweets beside them. No one seemed to notice them until they were standing at the steps that led to the platform.

"Booth." Angela gasped when she saw him, pulling everyone else's attention to the agent. Everyone then sprang into action and engulfed him in a group hug.

"You faked your death again?" Cam stormed being the first to speak.

"I had to; trust me it's not like I wanted to do this again." Booth defended.

"He's right." Bones nodded. "As soon as I found out that he was alive, I was put into protective custody as well."

"Cullen just told us that you were helping with a case that required you to be away." Hodgins stated.

"It was to keep everyone safe." Booth said. "Look I came here to tell you I'm alive, but I really need to go somewhere."

"Parker." Cam nodded. "He doesn't know you're alive does he?"

"No." Booth shook his head sadly.

"Well then go see your son man!" Hodgins said and smiled when Booth practically sprinted from the building.

"Daddy!" Parker exclaimed as soon as he saw his father, his little arms wrapping around his dad's neck. "They said you were dead, but I didn't believe them."

"Why didn't you believe them bud?" Booth asked through tear filled eyes, so happy to see and hold his boy again.

"Because you're too strong." Parker innocently said. "But why did they lie?"

"To keep you and mommy safe." Booth explained, looking at Becca who was crying. "But I'm here now okay buddy?"

"Okay." Parker nodded.

"Do you mind if I take him for the day?" Booth asked Becca who agreed quickly.

"Yeah, yeah that's fine." She said wiping her tears.

"Thank you." He smiled at her and hoisted Parker in his arms. "So what have you done while I was gone?" He asked and chuckled as Parker started to tell him absolutely everything he had done while he was away. Beaming at the child's enthusiastic chatter, he felt his heart swell with love for his son and a strong desire to see him grow up to be just as strong as he was now, and who knows, maybe one day he would be able to bring Parker to Boston to meet the men and woman who had helped change his life for the better.


End file.
